The Other Prentiss
by Karmagirl880618
Summary: It was just another day, until she walked in. Meet Michaela Prentiss, the former wild child little sister of Emily Prentiss and she has her eye on everyones favorite genius.
1. Enter Michaela Prentiss

**A/N: Hello people, I haven't written a story in a long time so please be gentle with me. I do not own Criminal Minds but I wouldn't mind borrowing Spencer for a while. **

It was a normal boring paper work day at the BAU and Reid was bored. He'd read through his case files already and consulted on a few cases where the cops needed a little push. He was working on a rubix cube now because he was really tired of working. Everyone else was thinking the same thing. It was a sad, sad thing when one could feel the entire team silently wishing for a case. Anything to spark some excitement would have been nice. Then God seemingly answered their prayers. Reid didn't know what made him look up but he was happy he did. She was a vision, and at first all he saw was her profile. Curly raven hair falling just past her shoulders, creamy pale skin, long shapely legs, full breasts, and a nice round…wait she looked familiar. Something about the way she looked felt familiar but he didn't know why. Reid had no doubt in his mind that he'd remember her, she was wearing a skin tight pair of dark denim jeans, a black t-shirt that hugged her body, stiletto boots equipped with chains, and there was a dark leather jacket in her hands. She had a messenger bag just like he always did. She turned to look at him and smiled. That was a dangerous smile. Her t-shirt was cut low in a deep v that revealed a lot of cleavage and a tiny heart tattoo on her left breast. She walked over to him and his eyes shot back down to what he'd been doing before she walked in. He was trying to find an escape route but it was too late she was already there. He looked up to find her leaning over his desk her cleavage unavoidable now. Her t-shirt was bunched around her midsection revealing a line of smooth skin just above her jeans. He told himself to look at her face but it was hard to do so. He looked up into her big doe eyes and his stomach rolled in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. Her eyes were gorgeous, they a shade of brown so pale they looked grey in the light.

"Hey sexy, I'm looking for someone. Can you tell me where I can find Emily Prentiss?" he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out at first.

"She's…uh…in a meeting." She nodded and looked around. Morgan came around the corner and Reid caught sight of the look on his face. He was staring at her ass. "Is she…is she expecting you?"

"No, she isn't. I'm a surprise, as always." She bit her nail and looked around before she suddenly smacked herself in the forehead and extending her hand to him. "I'm Michaela Prentiss, but you can call me Ella. I'm Emily's sister." Reid reached out and shook her hand ignoring the warmth spreading through his body and the horror that he was drooling over Emily's sister. "If I had to guess I would say you are the brilliant Dr. Spencer Reid and the guy behind me staring at my ass is Derek Morgan."

"Yes, you're right." He said blushing and laughing at the idea of Derek getting caught. He was about to say something when Emily came out of Hotch's office and saw her.

"Ella?" Ella turned around with a bright smile on her face. Emily came flying down and pulled her sister into a tight hug.

"In the flesh, I missed you Emmy." Morgan looked at Reid and mouthed _Emmy_ and Reid just shrugged.

"What are you doing here? Last I heard you were in Vegas." Emily asked when she pulled away from her sister. Reid had to admit not only had he been looking at Ella's ass but he noticed she had another tattoo on her lower back and it wasn't in English.

"Well I came back to finish my last degree. Since Vegas I've been to Seattle, Alaska, New Orleans, and New York. I'm still taking pictures and working for different magazines. Mom nearly blew a gasket when she found out I was coming back. I told dad, he told her."

"Of course, that's usually the case. Have you met the boys?"

"Only one, you didn't tell me he was so cute." Ella said looking back of her shoulder at Reid. He tried to hide his blush and his smile but Emily saw it. She raised an eyebrow at him and that look frightened him a little.

"Yes he's adorable, and this is Derek Morgan." She said propelling her sister forward. Ella reached out her hand and Derek stood up to shake her hand. Reid rolled his eyes, of course he was flirting. After all, he is Morgan.

"Nice to meet you Derek Morgan, did you enjoy the view?" Reid snorted and then blushed because everyone looked at him.

"Not as much as Pretty Boy." Reid choked on the coffee he was trying to swallow when he heard Morgan. Ella looked back at him and the look was unbelievably sultry. Before she looked away she looked down and a small smile appeared.

"So you're Derek, she said you were hot." Prentiss blushed and put her hand over her sister's mouth.

"Really, is that so?" Ella nodded but Emily pulled her away.

"I wanna take you to lunch and catch up. Can they come?" Prentiss shook her head and pulled her sister away. Reid smiled when Ella turned to throw him a wink and a wave goodbye.

"She will eat you alive." Morgan said looking at his friend. Reid looked at him and rolled his eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw that goofy look on your face. She will eat you alive but she's not the thing you should worry about." Reid frowned and waited for Morgan to finish. Morgan walked over and leaned over Reid's desk. "Emily will kill you if you go near her sister." He said simply as he clapped him on his shoulder. Reid knew Morgan was right so he tried to forget the way she smiled at him. It was a couple of weeks before he saw her again. Morgan whistled when she walked in, she was filling out a pair of wide leg black slacks like nothing he'd ever seen. She was wearing a purple lace tube top that didn't quite reach the top of her pants and a pair of red stilettos that made Reid and Morgan just about drool. Seaver turned to look at her and rolled her eyes. The two men were drooling. Sure she was pretty but she was also Emily's sister. Emily was enough, now she had an uninhibited mini doppelganger. Ella smiled and went straight for Reid's desk and his mouth went dry. He met Seaver's eyes before turning back to look at her. Her hair was thick and full like Emily's but it was longer and curlier. It made her look like a model of some sort. She was vivacious and he really needed to stop staring at her. Morgan just about fell out of his chair when she walked by and Seaver just rolled her eyes.

"Hey handsome, how are you?" she asked hopping up on his desk looking at him through her thick dark lashes. Her eyes were hypnotic; it was unbelievably difficult to look away. She put her jacket and bag down next to his desk crossing her legs and placing her hands on either side of her.

"Good," He squeaked, that didn't come out like it was supposed to. He cleared his throat before he tried again. "I'm good, how are you?" She smiled and it was that sultry one he'd seen before. Morgan was right, Reid was pretty sure she could eat him alive.

"Tired, but other than that I'm absolutely wonderful. So something tells me that you guys didn't know that Em had sisters?" Did she just say sisters?

"No, she has more than just you?"

"Yeah, I have a twin named Isabella. Everyone calls her Isla. She looks more like Em than me but I was born about 3 minutes before her. She's got short hair though and she's practicing to be a surgeon."

"What do you do?" she smiled like she enjoyed answering that question.

"I do a little bit of everything; I have degrees in journalism and literature. I'm going to school to get one in psychology. I'm a book editor by day and a photographer by night. I baby a lot of authors and models so I figure psychology would help." Reid nodded looking interested. "Interesting."

"What's that?" she leaned forward a little and her eyes looked almost silver in the light as she appraised him with interest.

"Most men, I tell them I have a twin and they ask if we take showers together and have lingerie pillow fights. You seem more interested in my occupation. That's not something I see everyday Dr. Reid. It's actually kind of hot." Reid felt his cheeks heat up before he looked up to see Morgan watching him.

"I don't see a logical reason for the two of you to shower together." He was serious but it made her laugh.

"You know Dr. Reid, neither do I. I think it's a playboy, penthouse forum kind of thing. _Dear Penthouse forum, I met a pair of hot twins today and they invited me into their dorm room._" Reid looked confused and she cocked her head to the side. "You do know what Penthouse Forum is, right?" Reid thought for a moment frowning in way Ella found adorable before shaking his head now. "My God, you are adorable." She reached out and touched his hair. Reid had to clear his throat again before he could speak.

"So is that why you travel so much, because of your job?"

"Yeah, I was in Vegas and I met this author named Peyton VanHolt. He was big time and I told him I was a fan. I was taking pictures of weddings and parties at night and working at this small publishing company by day. It didn't bother me; it wasn't really like I needed the money.  
He proclaimed, after spending a few weeks with me, that I was his muse. I thought it was a load of shit simply for the chance to get into my pants. I edited his book for him and helped him reword as he wrote. He talked to his agent and got me a job at a big publishing company. They loved me there; I was always really good with authors and the name Prentiss didn't hurt. Then I went where my authors needed me. That's why I've been all over the place. I took pictures of places where natural disasters hit, I was there to photograph the oil spill recently. New Years I spent in New York taking pictures of the snow."

"That must have been interesting."

"I enjoyed it. I got to go to Strawberry Fields, I'd never seen it. I was always so busy in New York whenever I was there. I took pictures of it after the snow was cleared away. I was actually there to sell some of my tornado pictures but that one was important to me." His eyes widened when he heard what she said.

"Did you say tornado pictures?" She nodded smiling at his expression.

"I joined a group of storm chasers and followed them for three weeks. I wanted pictures and I got them." Reid leaned forward intrigued. "My mom fussed for hours about how Emily and I seem intent on putting out lives in danger. I just wanted to live. I learned anything and everything I could from, belly dancing to bartending. I even go-go danced at a club for months when I was in college. My mom hated that, it was fun for me. Ughh, enough about me McDreamy, I want to learn about you. What do you do when you aren't fighting crime with my sister and Casanova over there?" She asked motioning with her head to Morgan.

"I read mostly. I go out with the team every now and then and I have friends that drag me out sometimes. Other than that, this is all I do."

"You need to get out more, love. Em says you're a full on Doogie Houser?" he frowned at her and she smiled. "Doogie was a genius teenaged doctor on TV."

"I don't like labels but I read 20,000 words a minute, I have an eidetic memory, and I have an IQ of 187." She grinned at him as he finished his sentence.

"So long story short, you're a genius." He nodded and she snorted. "That must be interesting on a date." Reid was about to answer when Emily came in and interrupted.

"El, get away from him. I will not have you corrupting poor unsuspecting Reid. He's innocent." Reid met Ella's eyes before falling to her lips as she bit the bottom one.

"He doesn't look all that innocent to me." Reid swallowed audibly. She was purring at him again.

"That's because your boobs are in his face." Emily said as she dragged her little sister off of Reid's desk.

"You don't mind seeing my boobs, do you Spencer?" Reid sputtered and stuttered but nothing was coming out. What was he supposed to say? _Hell no._ "It's okay Spencer. I don't bite, unless you ask me really nice." She purred leaning over his desk. Reid gulped and blushed but didn't say a word. Morgan was laughing so hard there were tears forming in his eyes but Emily looked mortified.

"WE are going out for drinks with Garcia and JJ. Do you guys wanna come?" Emily asked once again pulling Ella away from Reid. Morgan agreed immediately.

"Come on Doogie, you know you wanna come." Reid did his best not to blush at the double meaning but from the smile on Ella's face he'd failed miserably. He wanted to say no, that was the logical thing to do. She freaked him out, and it was entirely a bad thing. He should…no he would say no.

Why didn't he say no? He would forever ask himself that question. His eyes barely left her as she danced with her friend, Aubrey. Aubrey was strawberry blonde, leggy, and model tall. Her eyes were a shade of blue that Reid wasn't sure existed in nature. The two of them were a party all to themselves. The more she danced the more her top rode up. He liked the tattoos; so far he'd seen three: the heart with the arrow through it on her breast, the words on her lower back that he hadn't tried to read, and what looked like a small sword across her wrist with roman numerals under it. She mentioned going to the bar and getting another drink for herself, Emily, and Aubrey. Reid finally tore his eyes away while Morgan mentioned trying to get him laid. They moved back to her and there was a guy standing next to her trying to talk her up. She didn't look interested but the guy wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Go rescue her, pretty boy. You know you want to. Just walk up, put your hands on the bar around her and ask if she needs help carrying drinks." Reid didn't know what made him get up. Before he knew it he was at the bar. He did exactly what he said only he got closer than Morgan told him to.

"You need help with those?" she pressed her hips back against him leaning her head on his shoulder. He wasn't expecting what she did next. She turned around and kissed him. This wasn't a soft _I want to get rid of old tall, dark, and irritating_ kind of kiss. Her hands slid up his chest and into his hair as she molded her body to his. Her tongue swept over his lip before he opened his mouth so she could roll it against his. His arms wrapped around her like a vice and she gasped when he pressed her to the bar. Reid was pretty sure the guy was long gone but she didn't pull away and neither did he. His hand rested on the skin between her pants and her top and his fingers brushed the bottom of her top. She finally pulled away and he was breathless. Her lips were a little swollen and her cheeks were flushed bright pink.

"Mmm doc, you taste good." She was about to say something when Aubrey appeared next to them but Ella was still locking eyes with Reid.

"I hate to break up this moment but Louis Drake says he needs you. He is in the writing house in Miami. There is a ticket for us at the airport." She broke eye contact finally and looked at Aubrey nodding. Reid wasn't sure but she looked disappointed. She stepped forward reaching in his pocket and digging until she dug out a business card. She grabbed a pen off the bar and wrote something down on it.

"You better call, my phone is never off. Ever." She gave Aubrey a pointed look and she had the decency to look apologetic. Ella turned back to him before she dug for another card and smiled when he shuddered. She was way too close to something that hadn't had attention in a while. "Don't stop thinking what you're thinking right now." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek before she ducked under his arm. He turned around and watched as she said goodnight to the team and kissed Emily on the cheek and then she was gone.


	2. After Tonight

**A/N: I'm so happy so many of you like my story! I hope I keep you interested. I more nervous now than before I posted it. I'm backwards that way. Well here is another chapter and unfortunately I still don't own Criminal Minds or MGG. Just a little warning, Reid is totally getting laid in this chapter. If you need a soundtrack for that part of this chapter I can tell you I've been listening to Adele's new album to write it. Alright, enough talking. Enjoy!**

_It is difficult to know at what moment love begins, it is less difficult to know that it has begun._

_~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_

He called her and he talked to her…a lot. She was maybe the most interesting person he'd ever met. She was so fun and full of life. His days were either boring or too exciting. She didn't lie, if he wanted to know something (and sometimes when he didn't) she would just tell him. They were both busy and she was back and forth to Miami every chance she got. She said between homework and babying one of her authors and photo shoots she was way too busy. He was speaking at her school but he didn't know if he would see her. She was ahead in all of her classes but she also didn't have class till after night fall. He'd been lecturing on human behavior but he was thinking about her. She hadn't sounded like herself when he spoke to her the night before. They had become pretty close and he noticed when she sounded off. He was packing up his stuff after a lecture when he heard a door close. He looked up and there she was. She was wearing another pair of really tight jeans but these were dark and distressed, she was wearing one of those tank tops that made it hard for cops to concentrate when Emily wore them but hers was cut low and dark grey, and a pair of biker boots with straps and buckles. Her dark hair was wild and curly around her face and she was smiling at him. She snapped a picture before she spoke and it caught him off guard before he smiled back.

"Hey professor, I'll do anything for an A." Reid couldn't stop the blush that crept up his face and neck. She grinned putting her jacket and messenger bag down on the desk and moving toward him. She took another picture of him and then another still smiling.

"I feel like I should pose." She shook her head taking another picture.

"No, you're perfect." She snapped one last picture and then put the camera down to hug him. He pulled her to his body remembering the way she'd kissed him. Something about having his arms around her felt right. She was nothing like him. He was afraid of everything, he couldn't think of one thing she was afraid of. She pulled back and he went full throttle forward. His lips found hers and she melted against him burying her hands in his hair and his shirt. His tongue swept into her mouth when she opened up for him and she moaned. He could get use to that sound. When he finally pulled away he was a little loopy and light headed. "Well, that was…damn. If I didn't know any better I'd say you missed me doc."

"I didn't think I would see you." She pulled back still holding on to his shirt.

"Surprise, surprise, and that kiss let me know it was a good surprise. Now I want to feed you. I know the perfect place if you're up for it?" Reid nodded smiling down at her. She pulled on her leather jacket and reached for his hand. He took it immediately. An hour later they were at her apartment and she was cooking something that smelled delicious. There was music playing softly from her record player in the living room. Reid was looking at her book collection holding the beer she'd offered him. He wasn't really much of a beer drinker but he liked one every now and then. She had so many books; it actually rivaled his book collection. There were piles of thick unpublished books on her coffee table and floor. He picked up one and started looking through it. There were notes written in the margins in different color ink and highlighted areas in the text. There was a note on the front to who Reid assumed was the author.

"Wow, you really didn't like this book." She peeked around the corner to see what he was talking about. He held it up so she could see it and she laughed out loud.

"It wasn't that I didn't like the book, I didn't like the character. She was too meek; she didn't fight back or do anything. She's in this serious situation; someone wants to kill here because of a family that gave her up. That's not small. Yet she takes no for an answer when trying to get information, she has no finesse, no brilliant qualities, and no strength. Any woman, introvert or extravert, will work to find out about something affecting their life. She just sticks her head in the sand hoping the broken cop can save her. A reader needs to be able to relate to the character. If the reader can't relate the character isn't likable."

"So you don't like her because you can't relate?" She came around the counter with her beer and sat on the coffee table pulling her knees up to her chest.

"I don't like her because she's inconsistent. There was nothing relatively realistic about her. She doesn't have a saving grace that keeps her from being a whiny little bitch." Reid laughed at her assessment of the story heroine. He picked up another one and read her note on the first page.

"So you liked this one a lot." He said holding up for her to see. She smiled and it was a different smile. That smile told Reid that she really enjoyed her job.

"That one is about a knight of the round table and a girl who saved him. They fall in love but she's married to a guy who is a complete and total douche nozzle. The knight wants to kidnap her and her baby but it goes against everything he believes in. He consults with King Arthur and Guinevere about what to do and they remind him how important love is. It's told from both points of view and it has a relatively happy ending."

"How does it end?" She leaned forward pressing her lips to his kissing him softly. He reached for her but she pulled away and got up.

"You read 20,000 words a minute, you tell me. I'll finish dinner." With that she went back in the kitchen while he read. Reid was done in 15 minutes and so was she. She put a plate down in front of him and sat back on the table with her plate. He took a bite of his pasta and moaned.

"This is delicious?" She smiled taking a large bite of a piece of garlic bread. "Where did you learn to cook like this?"

"I told you I wanted to learn everything. So during my summers I took classes in everything along with an extra load of college courses. So, how does it end?"

"He promises to help her when he gets back from war but he doesn't come back right away. He gets hurt and stays somewhere else after losing his memory. His best friend, another knight, saves Genevieve. She marries him because she needs to be married to someone or they treat her badly. When the knight comes back, it's by accident. Its 10 years later and he's a widower with a son. He sees her out in the town but she doesn't see him. His memories come flying back, he remembers the way she smells, how it feels to run his hands through her hair. He does a lot of internal musing about how her body felt under his. He'd been dreaming about her the entire ten years but had never seen her face. He stumbles upon her when she's taking a bath in a lake and she finally sees him after fussing about him being perverted. They fall in love all over again but they can't be together in public. His best friend loves her and she cares for him but she doesn't love him like he loves her. The only way they can be together is to sneak around. The jealous knight finds them in bed and tells them that one of them has to die. They go back and forth saying they should be the one to die and finally they decided to kill themselves. The knight wants to persecute his former friend and throw his wife to the wolves. They get on a boat and push out to sea, out in the ocean they drink poison and die under the stars. How is that a relatively happy ending?"

"Have you ever seen The Notebook?" Reid looks at her quizzically but shakes his head. "It's this movie that made everyone I know cry. At the end this couple who spent their life together after being torn apart dies in each other's arms. When people cry, it's not because it's sad. Most people cry because it's the most beautiful thing they've ever seen. That's why I cried. The end may be tragic but it would be more tragic to have this great and passionate love affair only to end up living their lives missing it. They got to be together and they died together. That's a good story." Reid loved the way she looked when she talked about books. He felt the same way about them. Her eyes sparkled and the same smile he'd seen earlier would spread across her face. Three hours later they were still in her apartment talking. The TV was on but they were barely looking at it. She had him watching 9 ½ weeks and just about all of it made him blush. She'd told him about boarding school and graduating early so she could travel through Europe, Thailand, India, and Australia. She had pictures all over the place but there was one his eyes kept going back to. It was of her and Aubrey and they were standing in the middle of what looked like wreckage from a natural disaster. Aubrey was holding her up and she had her hands over her mouth but she was crying. Aubrey had tears falling down her face but she was working hard to keep Ella off the ground. She saw where his eyes kept going; it was leaning against a wall near the door. "It was hurricane Katrina. I was going through a lot but I couldn't just ignore it. I went to take pictures and help. The best picture I found was this one. I obviously didn't take it but in that moment I changed. There was so much loss and so much pain. I got overwhelmed when we found three bodies; a mother and her two children. They were clinging to each other and to the house. I lost it." She got up and walked over to it pointing at one person around her. "That's Isla; she pretty much caved in on herself when we saw that. She didn't speak for two days." Isla had her arms folded around her body like she was trying to keep herself from falling apart. Her hair was long, past her elbows and just as dark as Ella's. She did look more like Emily than Ella but her eyes looked the same.

"Emily didn't go?" Ella shook her head lying down on the sofa on her stomach. Reid was sitting on the floor.

"Emily and I weren't talking then. She didn't trust me. We had this big fight when I was younger and she never completely got over it. I was just doing what I thought was right but it never mattered or sat well with Em. Isles and I went to boarding school shortly after and Em and I barely spoke for years. I got in touch with her four years ago because I missed her. We don't talk about what tore us apart but Isles feels guilty." She laid her head down on her hand and curled up on her side. Her body was twisted in an angle that should have been uncomfortable. His eyes moved over her body and just happened to see the clock on the DVD player.

"It's late, I should get going." He moved to stand up and she grabbed his hand sitting up to look at him. He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers softly. He pulled away and moved again to get up but she grabbed his sweater and kissed him again but harder.

"Don't." she leaned back pulling him down over her. His lips captured hers as his hands slid around her body. She was warm and soft; everything about her from the taut muscles of her stomach and her soft breasts pressed against him invited him in. He couldn't say no to her and he knew it. Her tank top slid up with his hand when she pulled away to remove his tie. One of his hands cupped her cheek and her eyes fluttered shut. She pressed her face into his hand sighing softly. His fingers brushed her skin slipping up the back of her shirt and she shivered. She pulled herself up and he'd barely noticed that his shirt was completely open. Reid shivered as her hands moved up his bare chest and stomach. Her touch was amazing but it was her eyes that made it unforgettable. His muscles fluttered and flexed under her fingers as they slipped over his shoulders, up his neck, and into his hair. Her mouth captured his kissing him hard enough to make him breathless and needy. She pushed him back slipping out from underneath him. He watched her stand as he sat down. Somehow her hand never left him as she moved, his back met the arm of the sofa and he had no idea how it happened so smoothly. She pulled her tank top off and his mind went completely blank. He didn't even realize he spoke until said something back.

"Gorgeous," she climbed on his lap straddling him and laying over him. Every touch was soft and tender.

"Yes you are." There was nothing quick and hurried about this moment. Her kisses were slow and succeeded in building up heat in his body. He held her to him as his mouth latched onto her nipple lapping at it loving the sounds she made. Her fingers buried themselves in his hair gripping it tightly. Her skin was flushed when he pulled back to give the other nipple the same amount of attention. Her hips moved against his and it felt amazing. His fingertips dug into her back enjoying the feel of her soft skin against his hand. It felt like it took forever for his mouth to meet hers again. She melted against him pressing her body to his rolling her hips against his hard enough that he groaned in her mouth. Ella slipped a hand between them rubbing against the erection already making Reid's pants way to tight. She pulled away from his mouth to unbutton and unzip them and he just watched. She was so beautiful; her chest heaving from lack of oxygen, her nipples hard and aching to be touched, her skin flushed a bright shade of pink. His hand moved from her hair to her breast kneading the warm flesh. She moaned softly letting her eyes fall closed. Her hands got frantic pulling at his pants and boxers climbing off of him to get them off of him. She moved to climb back on the sofa with him but he stopped her pulling her to him. He unbuttoned her jeans and slipped his hand inside them cupping the most sensitive part of her. His fingers found her clit brushing against it using the wetness already gathered there to glide over it. "Jesus, Spencer." She moaned her fingers tangling in his hair again. His tongue swirled against her nipple making her buck into his hand and let out a keen that made his blood feel like lava.

"You have on too much." He whispered hearing the huskiness in his own voice. She nodded but didn't speak. He added a little more pressure to her clit rubbing his palm against it and pushing a finger inside of her. Her hands flew to his shoulders for support and he had an arm around her. He kissed and bit along her hip and she gasped bucking against his hand. He added another finger and just about had to catch her.

"I need you inside me. Now." She moaned softly. He pulled his fingers out of her brushing them over her clit a few times before he pulled them out of her pants. She stepped back and wiggled out of her jeans and panties. It was unbelievably sexy and Reid enjoyed the show. She pulled open a drawer in the coffee table and pulled out a foil package and ripped it open with her teeth. Her eyes never left his as she rolled it on him and climbed on to his lap. She reached down stroking him with her hand as her lips found his neck. He didn't want to push but she was driving him crazy.

"Please," he begged softly. He didn't know where it came from but he wasn't too proud to say he needed her right then. She positioned him at her entrance and sunk down around him slowly. He groaned letting his head fall back giving her access to his throat. Her hips rocked against his slowly as she tried to get used to the size of him.

"Ah fuck." She swore against his throat when he was fully sheathed inside her. It took her a few moments before she could move, her hips rolling against his in slow circles. His hands went to her hips as he bucked back into her making her cry out for him. His fingers dug into her skin as she picked up speed setting a rhythm that was sure to kill him. Moans and groans, the soft slap of skin on skin, and uneven pants filled the air as he tried to keep up with her thrust for thrust. She was so tight and wet he had to focus to keep from losing control. He leaned back so he could watch her. Something about watching her grind herself against him every time she slid down on his cock drove him crazy. Her hands found their way to his chest for leverage as she picked up speed and force.

"Oh god." He groaned when she changed the angle. She leaned forward rolling her hips harder against his her mouth finding his throat again. He grabbed her hips and thrust his hips harder bottoming out inside her with every stroke. She bit down on his shoulder as her walls clamped down around him like a vice making it impossible for him to hold out. She screamed his name into his chest as she came dragging him with her over the edge. She collapsed on him her sweat covered skin pressed against his. He lifted her up enough to pull out of her and she shivered. He was too tired to do much more moving besides lying down with her on top of him. She moved to his side lying between him and the back of the sofa. He pulled the blanket down and draped it over them. Her leg was across his waist and her head was on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm protectively around her. It felt good to have her body pressed against hers.

"I knew you weren't that innocent."

"I never said I was. I'm pretty sure they think I'm a virgin."

"What you just did with one hand lets me know that that is nowhere near true." He tried not to swell with pride but she saw the smile on his face. "And that look on your face is 100% man." He pulled her hand from his chest and pressed a kiss to her palm. "What was that for?" she said smiling up at him.

"Do I have to have a reason for kissing you?" she shook her head as her eyes fell closed.

"Where have you been all my life?"

"Waiting for you." She smiled and looked up at him. He pulled her closer to him even though she was practically wrapped around him as it was.

"Good, because I'm not letting you get away doc."

**A/N: After Tonight is a song be a singer named Justin Nozuka, it's from 2008. It also helped me write this part.**


	3. Playing God

**A/N: Hello again my lovely readers. Here is another chapter, I'm sorry it's so long. I discovered something about my social life while writing this story, I need to get a better one. My characters are having all the fun I'm too busy to have. That's the price we college students pay sometimes but it still sucks ass. The name of this chapter is Playing God, it's one of my favorite songs on Paramore's new album. If you listen to the lyrics it kind of makes sense with what's happening. Enjoy!**

_I can't help detesting my relations. I suppose it comes from the fact that none of us can stand other people having the same faults as ourselves._

_~ Oscar Wilde_

He'd only agreed to this because she asked him in nothing but panties and his open shirt. If it wasn't for that he would have never agreed to put on a designer suit and go to a society function. He never would have agreed to meet Elizabeth Prentiss at that function. He was lying to himself, he would have said yes if she were wearing a bright orange parka when she asked. Reid knew that but he wanted to be pissed at himself because of the suit. He had to admit that between Ella and Morgan they had a lot of taste. His suit was black and fit his lean body well. His tie was silver with purple stripes the same color of her dress. He hadn't seen it yet, she wanted it to be a surprise. He was sitting in the limo with Morgan and Prentiss when he saw her. He got out to let her in with a stupid dreamy look on his face that made Morgan and Prentiss laugh. She was wearing a long deep purple gown that made her look like a Greek goddess. It was strapless and the top had embellishments on it like beading. The rest was soft and flowy falling over her curves perfectly. She walked and he could see the long split up her right leg. It was sexy as hell showing a long line of creamy skin and shapely leg and her silver strappy stiletto shoes. She was wearing diamond earrings and a diamond bracelet and her hair was pulled up neatly in a bun at the nape of her neck. There were strategic pieces of hair hanging out around her face and on her neck.

"You look..." He was speechless and that was new.

"Speechless, that's just what I was going for doc." She said closing his mouth for him. He broke into a wide grin despite working hard not to. She handed him her coat and climbed in the limo. He noticed she got fidgety the closer they got to their destination, maybe even more so than him. He put his hand on her leg and she gave him a nervous smile.

"Are you ok?"

"I haven't been to one of these since I was a wild teenager. That's what people will remember when they see me. I don't think it matters that I'm not that girl anymore. I'm Serena fuckin Vanderwoodsen or Marissa fuckin Cooper! I hate these stupid functions. I swear she only wants me here to watch me suffer." He slid his hand into hers rubbing his thumb against her hand soothingly. "If I say bail we bail, okay?" He nodded continuing to try and soothe his frazzled girlfriend.

"Oh no, you can't leave me with her so she can ask a million questions about Spencer to the daughter he isn't sleeping with." Ella gave Emily a look that should have made her catch on fire.

"He's my boyfriend; he's not some random guy I'm fucking. Don't belittle him!" She snapped and he could tell she felt bad as soon as she said it. He tried not to smile but it made him feel important that she defended him.

"I wasn't, I was just saying if you get to take him home at night you have to answer the 20 questions. You're being defensive. I don't like these anymore than you do." She looked apologetic but she didn't speak. Because Reid didn't have siblings he didn't know they didn't need to. "It's okay, I understand." They pulled up outside and there was actually paparazzi and a red carpet.

"Spencer you don't have to do this if you don't want to. You can meet me inside." He looked at her and tried to ignore the complete and utter terror flooding his brain.

"I'm with you." He was terrified right up until she gave him a big smile and kissed him. Someone opened the door and they were thrown to the wolves. The red carpet experience was a lot like getting your shorts yanked down in high school gym. Everyone is pointing and screaming and pushing you until you want to scream at them and runaway crying. Ella smiled and waved holding onto his hand for dear life. She stopped and talked to one of the reporters introducing him as Dr. Spencer Reid. He put his hand on her back rubbing tiny circles to help her relax. It took them 20 minutes to walk less than 300 feet. When they finally got inside he was happy to get to their table. He pulled out her chair and helped her into it even though he knew she would have fussed at him if they were anywhere else. When he sat down he moved his chair closer to hers to hold her hand. It didn't just work to sooth her, it soothed him too. Her mother was sitting on the other side but her father wasn't there. Ella introduced him and Ambassador Prentiss gave him a look that was just bordering on approval as she shook his hand. A woman walked in wearing a long blue dress with a deep V in the front. He knew it was Isla because she was a cross between Emily and Ella. Her hair was short and sort of spiky, one of those styles a lot of women have started to wear. It was sort of wild but it swept over her forehead and the back brushed her neck. Her hair was lighter than Emily's and it was almost blonde at the tips. He noticed the two of them looked alike with the exception of their hair; Ella's was black but looked blue in the light, but they weren't close enough that he wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Ella jumped up and gave her a huge hug just as a man walked up next to her. He was tall, tan, and muscled, not as much as Morgan but more than Spencer. He smiled at everyone at the table shaking the Ambassador Prentiss' hand.

"Isles, this is Spencer, the boyfriend." Isla reached out a hand and shook Spencer's

"Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Isabella but everyone calls me Isla or Isles. He's cute El." She said still shaking Spencer's hand leaning over to whisper something in Italian to her sister. He felt the need to pull his hand away but didn't want to be rude. She finally let go when Emily came over to hug her and introduce her to Morgan.

"That's Riley, he gets dragged to all these functions with Isles so mom doesn't ask her a bunch of questions about her personal life." Ella whispered as they sat back down.

"Isla, your sister finally found a man who doesn't have tattoos. But even he couldn't get her to cover the one on her breast." A waiter came to the table as the ambassador made the comment. Ella grabbed the man's hand and pulled him gently next to her and Reid.

"I would be your new best friend if you brought me a Manhattan the size of a small country." The man smiled and nodded.

"Make it two and I will willingly have your children." Isla said leaning from her seat next to Ella.

"And for you sir?" The waiter asked Reid. He thought about it for a second, he wasn't really a big drinker.

"Jesus, Isabella, could that dress show anymore?"

"Sure it could mom, if you'd like I could get on the table and shake it for tips."

"We could make it a twin act and make twice the money. You know, me and my slutty tata tattoo." Ella added.

"Scotch, neat." Reid decided after hearing the way the conversation was headed.

"Emily, you're the only one that listens to me. These two deliberately ignored my request for them to wear black classy dresses." Isla made a motion like she was hanging herself while Ella made a motion as though she was shooting herself in the head. It was perfectly synchronized. Emily just rolled her eyes. Morgan shot him a look before motioning for a waiter to bring him a drink. Ella was holding his hand and he could tell she wasn't enjoying herself. She was tense but trying to look calm. The waiter brought their drinks and both Ella and Isla downed the whole thing and put it right back on the tray. It was sort of creepy watching them do things at the same time without meaning to.

"Keep em' coming sweetheart." Isla said before grabbing Ella's other hand. Two hours, a plate full of dry chicken, four Manhattan's and another scotch later all three Prentiss daughters looked ready to kill themselves. Ella turned to Spencer trying to force a smile. He leaned in and kissed her softly.

"You want to feign an illness or something? I'm sure we could find some ailment that will get us out of this early." She whispered pressing her forehead to his. He smiled and kissed her nose making her smile too. "Oh, wanna go have sex in the coat room?"

"Don't tempt me Michaela Prentiss." He said kissing her again. She pouted adorably snuggling up to him.

"I'm going to go to the bar because I really don't want to sit still anymore. Meet me there in five minutes?" he nodded as she stood up. She leaned over from behind him pressing a wet kiss under his ear. He shivered and watched her sashay away. When he got up to meet her he saw there was a man at the bar too close to her. He reached for her arm and she snatched it away but he grabbed her and yanked her to him. She fought against his grasp but he just held on tighter. The man had a smug look on his face. Reid deduced that they must have dated or at least slept together. "Come on, all I want is to have a little fun like we used to Ella." The man said still holding on to her arm. Reid was about to step in when she turned and kneed the man square in the nuts.

"There was nothing 'fun' about you Will. I have a boyfriend; he's all the 'fun' I need." Reid walked up and put his arm around her kissing her with more fervor than was probably necessary. "Hi baby." She purred softly when he pulled away.

"Is there a problem?" She shook her head and looked at the man known as Will. He had dark brown hair cut close and slicked back. His eyes were icy blue and cold. He had a fake tan and was wearing a watch that cost more than Reid made in a year. He was huge, taller and larger than Reid by at least 40 lbs. The man looked at him and it wasn't a very friendly look.

"So this is your boyfriend. He's kind of skinny, I'm pretty sure I can take him. You need a real man." It took him a few minutes to speak; Ella must not have kneed him as hard as she wanted to.

"I'm guessing you think you fall into that category." He smiled and straightened his tie. He was completely ignoring Reid, and while that pissed him off, it made Ella angrier. She put her arm around his waist and pulled him to her body.

"I'm obviously more man than him." She laughed but it was completely humorless.

"Right, I'd like you to meet Dr. Spencer Reid of the FBI." He felt uncomfortable with the way she said it. It was like he was supposed to pull out some handcuffs and swirl them around his finger.

"He's with the FBI, I'm pretty sure I can take him. He's scrawny."

"And you are a muscle bound dick head with a small penis. I haven't been into that for years." Reid reminded himself mentally to never get on Ella's bad side. It wasn't a pretty or safe place to be.

"My dick is bigger than your boyfriend sweetheart."

"That's not true; your penis would have to be my height at least. If that were the case you wouldn't be able to walk, let alone urinate or ejaculate." Ella was smiling. She'd told him before that she loved it when he spouted off useless facts or over analyzed a colloquial term. She said he made the most adorable confused face. He smiled back at her before brushing his lips over hers.

"You might want to be careful putting your mouth on your little loud mouthed bitch. I don't know many guys who haven't felt the inside of it." Will ground out venomously. Reid barely saw Ella move before she hit him so hard he stumbled back and fell on his ass. There were gasps and whispers in their immediate vicinity.

"Shit!" Ella exclaimed shaking her hand. Will climbed to his feet and advanced toward her but Reid stepped in his path.

"If I were you, I'd walk away. I will be the first person to tell the cops that you got rough with her. She has a bruise on her arm, that's evidence. Then I'll name drop and make sure they know I'm with the FBI. Imagine what your life will be like with an FBI inquiry following you everywhere you go. I know a hacker, the best in the world, she can make it so you drop off the face of the earth. Come near her again, touch her again, and being scrawny as you so eloquently put it will not stop me from unleashing the hounds of hell on you." He said before grabbing Ella's good hand and pulling her away. She was smiling but Reid wasn't happy. He pulled her to a corner and put her between him and the wall.

"Spencer?" She asked when she saw that he wasn't just angry with Will.

"What the hell was that?" He said grabbing her hand so he could look at it.

"That was me slaying my own dragon." She tried to pull her hand away but he held onto her.

"What did he do to you?" His eyes softened when he realized something about her behavior. She looked away and he noticed her eyes were watering.

"He's an asshole; he does what most assholes do. They talk out the side of their asses and make sure they destroy you for hurting their feelings. He ruined my reputation which is why I haven't been to one of these in years. All the society boys are like him. He didn't even sleep with me, he slept with Isles. She just started being openly defiant. That stuff at the table, talking back to mom, that's small stuff. She used to just dress up like me and run the streets. So I got a bad reputation for the both of us." She tried to pull her hand away again and she was still looking away from him. He put his finger under her chin to make her look at him. A tear slipped out of her eye and he brushed it away with his thumb.

"Why didn't you tell me before we came?" Another tear slipped down her cheek and he wiped it away.

"I wanted to be good enough for you. I didn't want you to know who I used to be. I wanted you to know who I am now." He leaned down and kissed her, maybe a little harder than he should have for where they were. When he pulled away and pressed his forehead against hers and he was breathless. So was she.

"You're perfect." He whispered.

"You're biased." She said softly.

"Why?"

"Because you are so about to get laid, dude. That was hot Spencer Reid. Ever fucked in a limo?" She asked rubbing him through his pants. Reid groaned and pressed into her hand. "I'm going to go tell Em that we're leaving, you are going to get our coats and meet me at the door." With that she walked away and Reid was left trying to take deep breaths with his head against the wall. He did equations in his head as he walked to get their coats. When he got back to the table it was Emily who looked pissed at Ella. He only caught the tail end of the conversation but that was enough.

"This is what you do. You make a mess and we have to clean it up. You always take the easy way out. It's time to stop acting like a child and grow the fuck up!" Ella just stood there and let Emily talk to her that way.

"Are you done?" Isla walked up to Ella and put a hand on her back facing Emily. There was something in her eyes that Reid wouldn't have understood if it wasn't for what Ella had just told him. Ella spent a lot of time getting yelled at for Isla.

"No I'm not done. She's going to take this out on me because you run away. I have to hear about the shit you do. I always pay in the end." That seemed to piss Ella off. She stepped away from Isla's hand and took a step toward Emily.

"You don't know anything about paying for something. You stick your head in the sand and pretend it isn't happening. Are you done now, Emily? Do you feel like a bigger and better person than me yet? Have you successfully stroked your own ego to the point where you no longer need me to be your punching bag because I would really like to leave? You don't know shit, for a profiler you're pretty fucking slow on the uptake. When I cause a problem I take myself out of the equation, but I'm not the cause nearly as much as you think I am. He threatened me, threatened my boyfriend, and manhandled me. He deserved what he got. I'll agree that I lost my temper but you have no idea the shit I've had to deal with from that self absorbed, over-sexed, Cro-Magnon, trust fund baby, self entitled, douche bag, asshole. And until you do, shut the fuck up and mind your God damn business." She turned to walk away and Spencer was there. There were tears in her eyes but he could tell she was pissed.

"Be careful Reid because this is what Ella is really like." That pissed Reid off.

"And this is what Emily is really like. She's mastered the art of being oblivious." Ella grabbed her coat but she wasn't looking at him. He whispered for her to go wait for him outside. She met his eyes and he made sure they were as warm and as reassuring as he could muster with the anger radiating through him. She nodded and walked away and he turned to Emily who paled a little when she saw his face.

"I know I'm new to this but if that guy spoke to you that way or spoke to someone you cared about that way, you would have reacted the same way. Did you miss the hand shaped bruise on her arm? It's none of my business what happened in the past, she hasn't told me yet, but she is just about the toughest person I know. She protected me, I should be protecting her. What he said to her before she hit him, I wanted to hit him myself. I don't think it would have worked the same way, she's had training. Maybe, and this is my professional opinion, you should talk to the twin who looks guilty. The one that stood up to you wasn't guilty, just pissed." He said the last part quietly before nodding to Morgan and following his girlfriend. When he got outside she was standing at the curb with her arms wrapped around herself. She looked like she was trying to hold herself together. He walked up and wrapped his arms around her nuzzling her neck. She exhaled and it came out in a whoosh. She was holding her breath. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, just happy to be with you." She said softly leaning back against him. He helped her into the limo and slid in next to her. She took her coat off as soon as the door was closed. She was the only woman he knew that hated coats.

"I think I lost my temper a little back there." She snorted and snuggled against him.

"Join the club." Reid looked away from her and her hand found its way to his hair scratching his scalp softly. His eyes fluttered shut; she had no idea what she did to him.

"You know it's impossible to think straight when you do that?" She laughed and he wasn't completely sure why especially since his eyes were closed.

"Remind me to do it more often." He turned to look at her and she was still smiling.

"You enjoy making it difficult for me to think?" She nodded excitedly and he couldn't help but smile.

"The idea that I have any effect on that ridiculously amazing brain of yours kind of turns me on." Reid blushed and she laughed. "The blushing is pretty cute too."

"You like that huh?"

"I do. What else can I do to…affect your thinking patterns?" She asked moving closer to him on the seat. His heart sped up and the excitement he felt whenever she touched him came roaring through him.

"That's privileged information." He whispered before brushing his lips against hers softly.

"Really," She whispered softly as she pulled up her dress enough to climb on his lap. She took the pins out of her hair and let it fall over her shoulders. His mind just about went blank, just the pressure of having her on his lap felt amazing, not to mention the visual. "I need to work as hard as possible to become one of the privileged then." His hands found their way to her hips as she kissed him. It started soft and sensual, kissing Ella, but before he knew it he was locked in one of those soul devouring, can't figure out where to put your hands, groaning in the back of your throat, spine tingling kisses. He got bold; he didn't know where it came from. Maybe all the time around Morgan was finally starting to affect him. His hand moved over the swell over her ass rather possessively eliciting a sound from her that made his entire body catch fire. Her hips rolled against him and he groaned pressing her hips against his. She pulled on the bottom of his shirt pulling it out of his pants. He was unsure of what she was doing until he felt her hands on his skin. When she pulled away to catch her breath Reid wasn't quite ready to stop. His fingers tangled in her hair and his mouth found her neck. She gasped arching into him her hips pressing into his lap harder when she did. His hands moved on her shoulder before his eyes met hers. He asked her silently if he could unzip her dress. She gave the slightest nod and he pulled it down slowly letting his finger tips drag across her skin. His eyes fell on her lips where she was biting her bottom one. Her hands worked on the buttons of his shirt as he pressed kisses from just below her ear to her collar bone. He let his teeth graze her skin loving the way it felt when her hips bucked against him in response. She tasted almost as good as she looked. Reid's hand held her neck as he tasted her before pulling her into a passionate kiss. He turned her over and laid her on her back carefully slipping his hand up her thigh and under her skirt without breaking their kiss. His fingers brushed the lace at the bottom of her panties and he felt her shiver. Her legs opened enough for him to fit between them. He loved the way she looked laid out before him. The way her body felt under his hand turned him on more than he thought possible. Down her neck, over her collar bone, over her breast feeling her nipple press against his hand, over her stomach, her hip, and her thigh. She was holding onto his other hand as he explored her, her fingers were intertwined with his. It didn't even matter that her dress still covered the skin he really wanted to touch. He leaned down and kissed just above where her dress barely covered her breast hearing the hitch in her breathing. Her hand tangled in his hair and his eyes rolled up to her to ask another silent question. "Yes, Spencer." Her voice came out breathy and the sound his name made passing through her lips sparked something primal in him he didn't know was there. He hooked his finger in the top of her dress and pulled it down just enough to get his mouth around her nipple. It grew harder under his tongue and she let out a keen that made him want to do very dirty things to her. She dragged his mouth away from her skin and kissed him like he'd never been kissed before. This kiss was hotter and more passionate and it made him melt against her. Her hips rolled against his creating just enough friction to rub him the right away. He groaned sinking into the kiss as she just about devoured him whole. Her hands slid inside his shirt pushing it off of his shoulders and down his back. Reid groaned feeling her nails dig into his skin and frantically went about getting her dress off of her. He sat back to pull his shirt off and she sat up with him pressing wet kisses to his neck and chest. Ella's teeth nipped softly at his skin as she stroked him through his pants. He gasped dragging her mouth back up to his sinking his hands in her hair. His arms wrapped around her pulling her flush against his chest. She opened her mouth and he sunk into her mouth as she sunk into his body. The kiss was hungry and needy full of soft tongue strokes and breathy sighs. He laid her down sliding his hands down her body. Her responding shiver and gasp made him smile against her lips. "Spencer, I need you."

"I'll take care of you, I promise." He whispered in her ear as he shifted on top of her. He noticed she was trembling a little as he let his hands move over her slowly. He leaned down and kissed her again as his hand moved over her breast kneading the warm supple flesh. She arched and gasped into his mouth burying her hands in his hair. "I promise." He whispered to her again before his mouth latched onto her neck again. She made another one of those keening noises he loved so much. She squirmed under him as he pressed kisses over neck, shoulder, and collar bone. He pressed his face to her chest hearing her heart pound against her chest as his hands moved over her ribs. Her skin was on fire and smelled fruity and spicy at the same time. Reid kissed between her breasts before licking a trail around her nipple and sucking in into his mouth.

"Oh God, Spencer." She cried out. His name sounded even better to him then. He moved over to give her other breast the same amount of attention before pressing more opened mouth kisses down her stomach. It was flat and well defined, he knew she did yoga and kick boxed. Watching her squirm under him had him right on the edge. His fingers found their way between her legs stroking her through her panties. He added a little more pressure where he was tracing her and she whimpered again. She trembled and her hands moved up her body wrapping around her breasts. He groaned in the back of his throat pressing a wet kiss to her thigh. He could feel the heat pouring off of her. She begged him but it wasn't in English and it made him smile. He hooked his fingers in her panties meeting her cloudy eyes as he dragged them down slowly. He traced her with his finger again before slipping one finger inside her. She let out another keening noised that sounded like his name. She was so tight he moved slowly before adding another finger. He moved based more on theory than experience. He tasted her just one long slow stroke of tongue. He knew when he hit the right spot because he body trembled. His mind went at it like a math problem figuring out the best way to go about it. When he found what he was looking for he focused all of his attention on it licking and sucking. He kept working his fingers in and out of her. He buried his face between her legs, her scent and taste was intoxicating. "Oh fuck!" hearing her swear was kind of hot; he never thought he would enjoy it. "Oh God, Spencer, I'm gonna…" a long keen escaped her as her body started shaking. He had to hold her down as the spasms raked through her. He helped ride the orgasm through before he stopped. She dragged his mouth away and back up to hers kissing him fervently. Her felt her hands on his pants and they were frantic. She got them open and down his legs so he could kick them off. his shoes had been off a long time by then. She positioned him at her entrance still kissing him like there was no tomorrow. It wasn't until he sunk inside her that she pulled away and moaned. Her eyes were wide and unfocused but she was looking him in his eyes.

"Oh God," he groaned as he started moving inside her. She was so tight and hot and wet he didn't know how long he was gonna be able to keep his control. She rolled her hips into his meeting him thrust for thrust. Her head fell back giving him access to her neck. He nipped and sucked as his hips kept a steady rhythm. Her fingers tangled in his hair dragging his mouth up to hers for another soul devouring kiss. He loved those kisses. They sent heat pooling to his groin. He wasn't sure how she did it but he ended up on his back on the limo floor. Her hips rocked driving him deeper inside her dragging a sound from his throat. Her mouth found his throat sucking and biting. He moaned out her name as her hips sped up. She sat up for better leverage and his hand moved from her hips to her breasts in record time. He felt himself getting frantic as the need for release got headier. He lifted her up and pressed her back to the seat pounding into her heat with new ferocity. His mouth latched onto her nipple drawing hard as her nails dug into his back.

"Spencer, yes" she whimpered as her walls clamped down around him. She bit down on his arm to keep from screaming. He couldn't hold out as she trembled around him. He called her name into her skin as he came with her. It took them a couple of minutes to be able to move. Five minutes later he was zipping up her dress his fingers dragging against her skin. She trembled and gave him a look that made him excited to get home. "So what's the wildest thing you've done lately?"

"This is definitely up there on the list. I'm not normally a _do something wild_ kind of guy. Did you know that having sex in public is one of the most common fantasies for both men and women? They usually involve places where the couple can get caught or places that are highly romanticized but impractical. Such as the beach where sand tends to get into every cavity and orifice it can find. While most people have the fantasies, few act them out. Some for health issues or body issues, others because it has gotten significantly more dangerous because of the invention and spread of camera phones."

"Are you saying I'm a bad influence on you?" She asked smiling up at him, her eyes sparkling with mirth. He laughed and shook his head.

"You definitely influence me, I'm not sure it's necessarily a bad thing."

"So now, you've had sex in a limo. That made the drama a little worth it." He blushed thinking about where they were. He hadn't thought about it during.

"So he heard us?" he asked nodding to the driver behind the partition as she snuggled up against him. Ella gave him a devilish smile and nodded. Reid felt his cheeks warm up.

"Relax, I'm pretty sure he's seen and heard a lot worse."


	4. Lovesong

**A/N: Hello again my loves. I want to thank all of you who have either given me some sort of feedback whether it was through review, story alert, or setting my story as a favorite. It makes me feel like I'm doing something right. There is no nudity in this chapter, it's a little sweeter. Let me know what you think, reviews make me all warm and fuzzy inside. The name of this chapter is the name of a song by Adele. It's beautiful, the lyrics Ella sings to Reid are from that song...Enjoy!**

_He felt now that he was not simply close to her, but that he did not know where he ended and she began._

_~ Leo Tolstoy_

Reid was working hard and fast. He had a date with Ella and he wanted to be finished with his work before 7 o'clock. It was looking like it wasn't going to happen. He still had a pile of folders in front of him most of which were from the case they just got back from. He hadn't seen his girlfriend in over a week and she had to be out of town for a few days after tonight. She was running off to take care of an author in Milan and she'd set up a photo shoot while she was there. She was in capable of sitting still. The more he learned about her the harder he fell. It had been a month since the charity dinner from hell and the limo ride from somewhere further north. Things between Reid and Prentiss had been strained for about a week before she came to him and apologized. She said that Isla had set her straight. He was staring down at a file when the woman on his mind walked in. She was wearing a short grey pleated skirt that stopped just below mid-thigh, thigh high stockings he almost didn't let her leave in that morning they were late as it was, platform stilettos that contributed to them being late for work, a black lace tank top, and her leather motorcycle jacket. She had a way of walking in heels that made her look like she was gliding. Her hair fell around her in thick tousled waves. They'd made a bet that ended in Ella not being able to cut her hair until it gets unmanageable or starts to get in the way of her job. She gave Morgan a wink on her way to Reid's desk. As was her ritual, she dropped her big black designer shoulder bag next to his desk and hopped up on it crossing her legs.

"Hey there handsome, are you almost done?" She asked before leaning down and brushing her lips over his.

"You're early Tesoro. I have at least another hour of work." She smiled hearing his name for her.

"You read 20,000 words a minute, why aren't you done by five?"

"Because everyone here knows that I read 20,000 words a minute."

"Good point, Carissimo. I have something I want to show you." He looked up at her and she laughed out loud. "See, I told them you weren't innocent. That look was 100% man. I knew you were a naughty boy from the first time you looked down my shirt." Reid blushed trying to hide the smile on his face.

"You showed me on purpose?"

"Like the song says, I maybe bad but I'm perfectly good at it. Aubrey's mom always tells us to be good and if we have to be bad be good at it. You've already seen my La Perla black and blue lace boy shorts and matching balconet bra." She raised her skirt enough to show Reid the lace at the top of her thigh high stockings. "You've seen these too and I promise you will see them later. But what I want to show you isn't on my body. It's more like a part of my heart." He met her eyes and found himself smiling. "So please hurry." Morgan appeared over her shoulder and took away the rest of Reid's files.

"Get out of here." Ella jumped up and kissed him on the cheek before trying to pull Reid out of his chair.

"Are you sure?" Reid asked standing up from his chair and putting his arm around his excited girlfriend.

"Yeah, you deserve it. Now get out of here before I change my mind." Ella was pulling Reid toward the door.

"We owe you one Morgan." They were on their way to the elevator when Emily and Elizabeth Prentiss walked out of the elevator. Reid saw them before Ella did. Emily walked over and pulled her little sister into a hug. It took Ella a second to hug back but eventually she did burying her face in her sister's neck. Emily whispered something in Italian to Ella and she replied in the same language.

"Jesus Michaela, must you dress that way? A longer skirt wouldn't kill you." Elizabeth said pulling at Ella's skirt.

"Do not engage. Do not engage." Reid heard Emily whisper to her sister while Elizabeth pulled at her skirt. He could tell by the mischievous look in Ella's eyes when she pulled away she wasn't going to listen.

"Well short skirts make it easier to screw my hot boyfriend. Carissimo, let's go." She said walking on to the elevator and waving to Emily. Reid blushed feeling like he should say something. Ella pulled him onto the elevator before he could think about it too much.

"Why do you do that?"

"I spent years doing what she wanted just so she could send me away the one time I couldn't. Something else was more important than making my mother happy. So now, when she starts with the criticism, I nip it in the bud quick." Reid didn't ask any more questions as they climbed in her silver and black Dodge Challenger and got on the road. Her body language told him she didn't want to talk about it. They pulled up behind a three story brick building downtown and she parked. He looked around after getting out of the car itching to reach for his gun. She climbed out without speaking and got a bag and a cooler out of the back seat. He followed her down an alley and noticed something about her. Walking down alleys freaked her out. She hid it well but he could see it, she wore it in her shoulders. She looked like she was ready for a fight but it never put a hitch in her stride. She got to a red door marked _Employees Only_ and stopped turning to look at him.

"Are we supposed to be here?" He asked looking around the alley. She smiled and nodded.

"Do you really think I would pick up my FBI agent boyfriend and take him on a B & E?" He thought about it for a second and then gave her a look. "I don't know how I feel about that look Spencer Reid. I buck the system but not nearly that hard."

"Okay, then why does it look like we're sneaking into a back door?"

"Sneaking isn't the right word; we're simply entering through the back. That doesn't mean we're sneaking. I have a key for goodness sake. Think of this as my own little world but everything is okay. They know me here." He gave her an incredulous look. She rolled her eyes and put down the bag and cooler. Ella grabbed his tie and pulled him into a kiss. He loved kissing her. She goes back and forth between aggressively passionate and affectionately chaste and it drove him crazy every time. Before he knew it he had her pressed against the door with one hand in her hair and the other on her ass. "I'm trying to give you another piece of my heart here. This is the emotional equivalent of letting you see me naked. I'm quite comfortable with the physical equivalent; however, this makes me nervous." She whispered breathlessly when she pulled away. He nodded finally and picked up the bag and cooler while she opened the door. When they walked in they were plunged into darkness. All he could hear were her heals clicking on what sounded like wood floors. He heard her moving away from him before the room was flooded with light. He had to blink a few times for his eyes to adjust. They were in an art studio. There were paintings on the walls all around him. His feet started moving on their own taking in all the colors and shapes.

"Where are we?"

"Georgetown color, it's an art studio that displays mostly local talent." His eyes moved to her and he realized she was smiling. "Follow me." She said before turning and disappearing around a corner. He followed her and almost lost her. He found her waiting for him outside another door. Her back was pressed against it and she was biting her lip nervously. It was a habit she had. When he got to the door she gave him another kiss and then opened the door. She stepped aside and motioned with her head for him to enter. The room was full of photographs, some in black and whites others in color. He recognized one; it had been in her living room their first night together. That's when he realized what she was showing him. All of them were her photos, her name was printed on the back wall above a few more photos. He stopped in front of one of her black and white pictures. There was a wrecked house, from what he could tell it had been white with blue accents, and there was a couple standing outside of it. They were older, and though he couldn't see their faces he could see what they were feeling. They were wrapped around each other like if they let go they would fall apart. In the distance there were clouds as if the storm had just cleared but an American flag was still blowing in the wind.

"Wow." He whispered softly. He heard her moving around behind him but he was stuck where he was. The next picture was of a pregnant mother. Her belly was bare but there was something white and frilly covering her breasts. Her curly blonde hair fell around her framing her face and the smile gracing her features. There were two little blonde children that resembled Botticelli babies around her. One was leaning against her side his big grey eyes focused on his hand on the mother's belly. The other, a little girl in a white dress, had her face pressed against the mother's belly as though she was listening for something. The next one was black and white. It was a couple lying on a sofa. The man was lying on his side with his tattooed arms wrapped protectively around a woman. You couldn't see her face, just the intricate eagle tattoo on her back. They were both topless, the woman was wearing denim shorts and the man was wearing jeans. One of his hands was lost in her long dark hair while the other was on the small of her back. His eyes were closed and his cheek was pressed against hers lovingly. The next one was of the same couple but now they were standing in front of a dark background. They were still topless but there was one huge difference. The man had one arm around the woman while the other held a sleeping new born baby. He was pressing a kiss to the woman's forehead while she was running a hand lovingly over the baby's hair. The next was of a little girl being licked by two dark puppies. She had fiery red hair and the brightest blue eyes he'd ever seen. Her face was filled with glee as they licked something red off of her face. The next was of five men of different heights and one woman standing in the middle of a road staring at a tornado with lightning flashing in the sky and rain falling heavily. Their backs were to the camera but it was easy to see what they were all thinking. They were staring at a very large very violent tornado. They were a few miles from it so there was no urgency. The next he recognized because there had been plenty like it after Hurricane Katrina. It was from the air so all the carnage could be seen. The next was of two little girls, one was black and the other was white. They were holding hands and there were tears in their eyes. "They're amazing." She walked up next to him and handed him a beer.

"That is a friend of mine, she's a model. She has three kids but I took this while she was pregnant with the third. Roselyn, the little girl, she liked to listen to the sounds inside her mom's belly." She said pointing to the one with the pregnant mother. "That's Adam Desario, he's one of my authors." She said pointing to the one of the tattooed couple. "There's another one of them with their other three kids over there." She pointed and Reid turned to look at it. In that picture the two of them wearing shirts lying in a very big bed. There was a dark haired little boy with an arm wrapped lovingly around his mom's waist. A little girl was lying on the man's chest reaching over to her mother who kissed her palm. There was an older girl lying between them turned toward her mother. They were all wearing jeans and white t-shirts.

"Wow, I knew you were talented but I had no idea."

"Yeah, well Liam was the only man in my life for a long time." Reid turned to look at her. He was confused. She laughed out loud sitting down in the middle of the floor. She picked up her camera and snapped a picture. "This is Liam. He has friends but I spend more time with him than any of the others." She said as she snapped another picture. "Join me Dr. Reid." He walked over and sat on the blankets she'd laid on the floor. He leaned on one of the pillows as she pulled takeout form the bag she brought in. "I brought some of my pictures here a little while back and the owner was very interested. I wasn't even here to sell them; I just wanted to convince her that I was a good enough photographer to use her dark room. She not only decided to display them but she offered me my own room."

"You are an amazing photographer." He was still looking at the pictures. When he looked at her he realized she was blushing. "That's the first time I've seen you blush."

"It amazes me that you blush if I say anything remotely dirty but when you touch me…I don't know what happens. Do you have any idea how often I want to throw you down on the nearest hard surface and fuck you senseless. I know that's not a very lady like term but it's honest." Reid blushed maybe more than he ever had before. He went to speak but nothing came out. He cleared his throat and pulled on his collar. Ella was laughing quietly but he could tell. He tried again but it didn't work. "You are adorable when you're flustered. I have to admit, I enjoy making you speechless and the blushing is a bonus." Reid wasn't good at talking be he'd noticed something he could do that tended to make her speechless. He crawled from his place on the floor and moved between her legs. On the pillows she was leaning on she was practically laid out before him. She was still smiling meeting his eyes as his hands moved up her thighs. "You are playing with fire Dr. Reid." Her eyes took on that predatory glint that made him shiver. She hooked her fingers in his belt loop and pulled him close to her till his lips were hovering over hers.

"Is there a way to make you blush?"

"Embarrassment, that's about it." She whispered brushing her nose against his. He really was playing with fire. He couldn't tease her without teasing himself. "There is nothing in your vocabulary that could make me blush. And if by chance you found something it would make you blush more to say it."

"Is that a challenge?" Ella looked down moving her hips closer to him and locked her legs around his body.

"Why doctor, got something you want to show me?" Reid did his best not to blush, instead he grabbed her hips and pulled them against his. She smiled up at him running her hands up his stomach.

"I will be up for anything you throw at me."

"Was that an innuendo Spencer Reid?" He leaned down and captured her lips before she could pull out of his reach. His hand made its way to her hair sinking into it the way he loved to do. He picked her up his hand firmly placed on her ass. When she gasped he took that opportunity to deepen the kiss. Her arms locked around his neck and her fingers dug into his shoulder and his hair. When he put her back down and pulled away she was breathless and her eyes were clouding over. "Ok then, doc, let the games begin."

The game went on well into the next week when they went out with the entire team. He had yet to succeed in making her blush, it didn't help that she had been gone for most of the week. She'd teased him all morning and sent him dirty text messages. He had to do his best not to show it. Morgan saw his face after he'd read one of her messages and asked him what he was reading. He made up the best lie he could think of and Morgan didn't believe him at all. When Prentiss asked what was going on Morgan said Reid was reading a dirty message. He flushed a deep shade of crimson and made an excuse to go see Garcia. She met him at his apartment and his mouth dropped open when he saw her. She was wearing a pair of dark denim jeans that looked painted on, a red low cut spaghetti strap top, and a pair of sexy platform stilettos. Her shoes were covered in sparkles and he made a comment that if she tapped her heels she just might get home. She laughed and told him that it sounded suspiciously like a joke. It wasn't until she turned around that he saw his favorite part of her top. Aside from a sequined strip of fabric that reminded him a lot of a bra the way it hooked together it was just about completely backless. It sort of draped down showing more skin and gathered at her hips.

"See something you like Dr. Reid?" She purred seductively and a chill ran through Spencer's body. She shouldn't be able to do that to him with four words and his name.

"Quite a bit, actually." She leaned up and kissed him pressing his back to the wall in the hallway. His hands slid along her waist till he reached the bare skin of her back. When she pulled away he groaned and it surprised him. He didn't know where it came from.

"Was that an objection to the kiss or leaving?" her breathy whisper sent another chill down his spine as she kissed right below his ear.

"A little of both I think, you have been gone way too long" She smiled and pulled her motorcycle jacket back on before giving him one more quick kiss.

"Come on Doc, we can get reacquainted later." When they got to the bar he couldn't keep his hands off of her. Their game went on even though the team was around him. She whispered dirty stuff in his ear to get him to blush and he did his best to think of something to say to her. Finally JJ asked what they were doing because they weren't paying attention to what everyone was talking about. "He's been trying to make me blush; it's a competition we've got going." Ella said smiling at Reid before looking at everyone else. "I told him that he couldn't possibly say anything that would make me blush like he does. I only blush from embarrassment."

"You want to make her blush. I got something." Of course Morgan had something to help him. He pulled Reid closer so he could whisper it in his ear. Reid blushed and his eyes widened considerably. He considered balking and telling Morgan he wouldn't say it but it was the truth. Just in very colorful words. Everyone at the table looked interested in what he was about to tell Ella. Reid pulled Ella closer, one hand enjoying the bare back provided by her top.

"Ever since you walked in looking the way you do all I've been able to think about is bending you over this table and fucking you till you beg me to stop." Ella bit her lip and shivered as he drug his finger slowly up her back. No one heard it but Ella but everyone could see it had an effect.

"You see, that simply made me want to take you up on the offer. Your mouth is writing checks your ass can't cash." Emily shook her head deciding it was time for a woman's touch.

"You can't make her blush simply by saying something dirty. Try this." Emily pulled Reid to her so she could whisper it in his ear. It still made Reid blush but it made him smile at the same time. "If this works, everyone has to do a shot." Reid moved close to Ella pulling her against his body so he could whisper to her. What Morgan had told him to say had been true but Emily just told him to reword it and be honest.

"I've missed you all week, I can't wait to take you home and make love to you. I want to hear those soft sounds you make when it's just me and you. You don't know what you do to me. I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you Ella Prentiss." Ella tried to hide her face but he could tell he made her blush. Her cheeks were still pink when she looked up at him smiling.

"You win, now dance with me." She got up and Reid wanted to tell her he couldn't but the way she looked at him stopped him. It made his heart swell and pound in his chest. He could see it in her eyes that she was in love with him too. Before he knew it he was on his feet following her onto the dance floor.

"I don't really know how." He whispered as he pulled her body to his. Her arms slid around his neck and her fingers slid into his hair scratching his scalp. His hands were on bare skin between her top and her jeans. He just moved with her keeping her flush against him.

"Just follow the music._ However far away I will always love you. However long I stay I will always love you. Whatever words I say, I will always love you. I will always love you._" Her voice was soft and beautiful in his ear. He pulled back enough to look down at her as his hand went to her hair pushing it away from her face. She blushed again as a small smile made its way to her face. In that moment she was the only person in his world. He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, the kiss was supposed to be quick. But when he tried to pull away one of her arms went around his waist molding her body against hers. She opened her mouth and Reid deepened the kiss wrapping his arms tight around her body. They'd stopped dancing but neither seemed to care. If it wasn't for the cat calls coming from the entire team a few feet away Reid didn't know how long the kiss would have gone on. Something about it was different. It took his breath away and his body burned. As he looked down at her everything felt right. She was his. That's what mattered. It was sealed for him when she whispered softly in his ear. "I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you too, Spencer Reid."


	5. Hold Me

**A/N: Hello my lovelies. I'm so sorry for the wait. I'm on break and my laptop and the DSL here don't really like each other. Here is the next chapter. I'm going to try and update at least twice this week but I can't make any promises. Thank you again for all of your support. Your feedback makes this all the more fun. The title of this chapter is the name of a song by St. Lola in the Fields. I kind of love the song. Enjoy!**

_I'm selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control, and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best._

_~Marilyn Monroe_

This was what happened when you fall in love with an FBI agent. Ella found herself pacing back and forth in a hospital telling herself that everything was going to be okay. Seaver looked more worried about her than Spencer. Ella was new to all of this, she was never around when Emily got hurt and this was her first time sitting in a hospital waiting for her boyfriend. It didn't help that she really hated hospitals. She hated the smell, the lights, the bad coffee. It came from spending way too much time in one. An experience she really didn't like reliving. Her heart had literally stopped when Garcia had called her. She said the words Spencer and shot in the same sentence. It wasn't till she got there that she found out he wasn't the only one. From all they were allowed to tell her they were checking out a place they thought the "un-sub" might go. He'd wanted them to be there, he shot up the building with Spencer, Derek, Em, and Dave in it. If they hadn't been wearing vests... That was one of those things she just couldn't think about. Derek was out and okay, he'd had a few cuts from broken glass. Emily was okay, she was giving her doctors a hard time. Morgan had gone in to calm her done but it wasn't till Ella got there that she stopped fussing. She wanted to tell her little sister herself that Spencer was okay. She wanted to tell her what happened and that she'd made sure he was okay. Ella and Emily may have their problems but when Ella really needed her she was there and vice versa. She stayed in Em's room until the doctors were ready to say she was okay. Dave had been the next to come out okay. He was more pissed than anything else. Now she was just waiting for Spencer. Emily had explained to her that catching a bullet to the vest hurt like hell. And as is Spencer's luck, he'd caught two the second cracking a rib in the process. She would be fine if they would just let her in the damn room. Hotch was family, the team had badges, but she was the outlier. They'd told her she could go in later, later wasn't cutting it for her anymore. She was working hard for self control but there was a nurse that kept treating her like a criminal. She needed to see him, if she saw him and he was ok...she would be okay

"Excuse me," she asked the nurse at the desk. It was the same one who kept telling her she had to wait. "Does now classify as later or is later a designated time?" The nurse gave her an irritated look. "I'm aware that you probably think I'm a pretty serious bitch but I can live with that. And there are times when sounding like my mother is enough to make me want to commit an especially gruesome form of suicide but this isn't one of them. I would be considerably less irritating if it wasn't for the fact that my boyfriend is in that room and you won't let me go in." She said pointing down the hall.

"I told you later and that is what I meant."

"You think I'm a bitch now, parrot the word later to me one more time and I swear bitchy me will seem like a trip to Disney Land. I'm going in that room and I wish you the best of luck in stopping me." With that she turned and took off toward the restricted area.

Reid had been asking to talk to Ella since they brought him to the hospital. That's when they'd told him that Garcia called her. He knew what would happen, she would act first and think later. He kind of wished they would have let him tell her. She had friends with planes and she wouldn't hesitate to ask if it was necessary. He could have told her he was okay and that she didn't need to come. Then Hotch told him that the hospital was being extra cautious about who they let in because of the un-sub's MO. They were keeping people out in waiting rooms unless they were immediate family or in their case FBI. They were worried he would move from office buildings, banks, and clinics. They hadn't been expecting him to be expecting them. He led them there and Reid couldn't help but feel like it was his fault. Just before he fell to deep in his own misery on the subject he heard voices outside of his door. Hotch went to the door to see what it was about. When he opened the door he could hear Ella's voice and she sounded pissed. Morgan was trying to talk security out of throwing his girlfriend out of the hospital. She walked in the room and security tried to pull her back. There was a nurse fussing about being threatened by Ella.

"I dared her to stop me, I didn't threaten her life. She was being unreasonable."

"I told her to wait. That's not unreasonable, that's policy." The nurse argued. Ella was looking at the security guard holding her arm.

"I just wanted to see him, why do you have a policy against that?"

"Because you aren't family and you aren't with the FBI. You have to wait."

"I've been waiting for five hours, I'm sorry for not being easier to deal with. As soon as I know he's okay, I'll be exponentially more docile." Reid couldn't help but smile. There were a lot of words he could use to describe Ella Prentiss, but docile, however, wasn't one of them.

"We told you he was fine."

"You must have a different interpretation of 'see' than I do? If your word was enough I wouldn't bitch nearly as hard."

"Just let her in the room. She's surrounded by FBI agents. How much damage do you think she's gonna do?" It took Reid forever to get to the door dragging the IV pole, and it hurt like hell. It looked hilarious; there was a man with no neck holding his 5'5, 121 lbs girlfriend by her arm like she was a serious threat. The nurse was twice Ella's size but looked like she was more afraid of Ella than Ella was of her. She tended to have that affect on people, especially when she was angry. Telling her no, not that he'd ever been able to do it, was a sure fire way to find yourself on the Michaela Prentiss shit list. Ella looked every bit the rebel in dark distressed skinny jeans, a grey t-shirt that hung off her right shoulder, and black flat knee high boots. Her hair looked bluer than usual in the lights and he could tell she'd run her hands through it several times. Her eyes were on him though. She twisted her arm and yanked out of the guard's grip. She was in the room before he could grab her again. She moved into a room the way a queen would enter a chamber or a warrior would enter an arena. Her hands went to his face and he saw tears in her eyes.

"Carissimo you shouldn't be out of bed." She said softly. He smiled; she went from raising hell to nurturing in three seconds flat. She pushed his hair away from his face but her eyes were searching him for injuries.

"Leave it to you to be chased by security in a hospital." He really didn't know what he did to deserve the woman before him. He couldn't help thinking he was the luckiest guy in the world.

"They wouldn't let me see you." She said as though it explained everything. "I just needed to see..." Her voice broke as her eyes met his again. She led him to the bed and made him sit down. "I needed to check on you."

"I'm okay. You didn't have to come, Tesoro." He said pressing his forehead to hers. He ran his hand through her hair before wiping a tear away with his thumb.

"Yeah I did." Hotch walked in and gave them a look and Reid wasn't sure but it almost looked like he was wearing a smile.

"Well if there was any doubt in my mind, I know she's a Prentiss now." Ella looked back at him confused. "There is only one other woman I've seen give hospital workers that many problems, the two of you just so happen to have the same last name."

"The nurse backed down after she got a phone call from a very pissed off Ambassador threatening to have her job if she didn't treat you better." Morgan said from the door.

"You called your mother?" Reid asked but he realized there was a smile on her face as she shook her head.

"My mother wouldn't have helped me, she would have told me I was acting like a child. A sentiment that never gets old, by the way. She would have mentioned decorum or class before telling me to do what they say. And besides what in my past makes you think I would call my mother for help?" Ella had a way of saying "mother" that sounded like there was a colorful four-letter word missing.

"Then who was it?"

"Em always had the best mom impression and she's the most comfortable with name dropping. But Isla will do in a pinch."

"Wonder twin powers activate?" Reid joked his forehead still pressed against hers.

"More like the powers of AT&T, Isla worries when I slip into Italian mid sentence. I was a little angry in the hallway."

"And hell hath no fury like a pissed off Prentiss." Morgan chimed in from the door.

"Damn straight." He said smiling at her.

Hours later the team was back in the field trying to find the un-sub. Reid was sitting in his room waiting for Ella to come back. The doctor said he could have coffee so she'd gone to get him some. He was worried about her. She hadn't sat still since she fussed with the doctors to stay past visiting hours. She'd gotten him j-ello, his go bag, real food, another pillow, and now coffee. When she walked back in he could tell she was barely holding it together. She handed him his coffee and forced a smile. She was working really hard to show him she was okay but her body language said it all. She moved around the room doing random stuff until he called her name. She stopped and looked up at him.

"I'm fine." He said softly. She nodded but she didn't look like she believed him.

"I know you're okay up here," she said poking herself in the temple. "I just can't seem to get the message to the knot in my stomach."

"I can understand if this is too much for you." She shook her head and climbed on the bed next to him.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily Superman. You just have to remember to dodge the bullets. You zigged when you should have zagged." Ella joked smiling at him. It was a genuine smile. Maybe her first sense she'd been there.

"Bullets are kind of my kryptonite. It's not my first time zigging when I should have zagged. You've seen the scar. My job is dangerous and there are going to be times when I'm in a lot of danger."

"I know who you are, Carissimo. I've known since I met you. I wouldn't change you for the world. What you do is as important as it is dangerous. I love you for who you are." Reid blushed and smiled. He could see the honesty in her eyes and hear the conviction in her voice. He pulled her on the bed with him and gave her the remote. Two hours later she was crying and he was a little choked up himself.

"Why do you like this movie?" He asked wiping tears off her face.

"You can't tell me that's not the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. You have tears in your eyes Spencer."

"It was definitely something, she didn't remember him or their life together."

"But he stood beside her, he read to her until she remembered him, even if it was only for five minutes. He loved her that much." He smiled listening to her talk about the story.

"So the journal he read to her from, that's why it's called The Notebook." She nodded. "It was good right up until the end."

"That was the beautiful part. They had this long life together and then they died together." Reid nuzzled her neck half because he wanted her to stop crying and half because he enjoyed doing it. She giggled softly giving him better access to her neck. "Are you seriously trying to get laid in your hospital bed?" He didn't respond he just nipped at the soft skin below her ear. "You are a horny bastard, Agent Reid." He groaned against her skin hearing the purr in her voice.

"Well today was rough, I can't think of a better way to relax." She laughed out loud as he whispered in her ear.

"Did I make you this insatiable?" She asked softly.

"You've definitely had an effect on me." Ella pushed him so he was lying back on the bed.

"I'm not having sex with you while you're in the hospital. I will not be the reason you completely fracture your cracked rib. That pain medication must have resulted in the loss of a few key brain cells."

"I'm fine, I can take it. Just be gentle with me." She laughed and shook her head at him.

"I'll make a deal with you. The moment the doctor says you're out of the woods I will rock your world, so to speak."

"You know I'm a doctor right?" He asked nuzzling her neck again.

"A few times, none of which matter in this regard. And if you mention your eidetic memory or how many words you can read in a minute I will be forced to poke you in the ribs." He laughed and then groaned because it hurt.

"Okay, you win. I'm too tired to fight." He said lying back to look at her.

"Good, because resistance is futile. My logic is undeniable." Reid chuckled pulling her against his body.

"You know, you're pretty hot for a nerd." She laughed snuggling against him. "Will you be here when I wake up?"

"Wild horses couldn't tear me away."

"Actually," he began but she silenced him by kissing him.

"That was a purely hypothetical statement. It's like saying 'whatever floats your boat'. I know that normally in literal situations wild horses could drag me pretty far."

"You know I love you right?" He asked smiling at her sleepily.

"You can't help yourself. I'm that awesome."

"That you are Ella Prentiss, that you are."


	6. Don't Let Me Down

**A/N: Again guys, I'm so sorry for the delay between chapters. Hopefully this will make you all happy and not unbelievably pissed at me. Thank you again for all your support. While it goes without saying, I do not own Criminal Minds or any of it's characters. I just enjoy playing with them. And while I'm not happy with the departure of Emily Prentiss, I still think MGG is awesome for directing. If only I owned him...but I digress. Don't let me Down is a song by the Beatles so please by all means go have a listen. Remember, reviews are love...enjoy!**

_"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs. Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers eyes. Being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers tears. What is it else? A madness most discreet, a choking gall and a preserving sweet."_

_~ William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet)_

Morgan didn't know what he expected to find when he went to pick up Reid for poker night. There was silence on the other side of the door, maybe a little too much. The walls weren't that thick so you could hear people's televisions and people laughing and arguing. Normally when he went to get him he could tell whether or not Ella was there just by the music or the television being on. Reid tended to be in there in complete silence lost in a world of books and articles. But today it was silent. That should have let him know something was wrong. But if he didn't guess before hand, it was obvious when he opened the door. There was something about the look on Reid's face that told Morgan something was terribly wrong. His friend looked he'd gone a few rounds with something heavy and he wasn't faring well. He opened the door and let him in without saying a word. The look on his face said it all, help. When he walked in he saw why his friend looked that way. He would have too if he were in a similar predicament. On one side of the sofa stood Lila Archer, Reid's old girlfriend. From what Reid told him she had a habit of showing up after she broke up with a boyfriend for booty calls-his words not Reid's-. And on the other side of the sofa stood a very pissed off Ella Prentiss, Reid's current and very frightening when necessary girlfriend. Her arms were folded across her chest and she was glaring daggers at Lila. Neither of them were wearing a lot of clothing, Lila was wearing black lace lingerie and one look at the trench coat on the sofa and Morgan knew what she'd done. Ella was wearing a Cal-tech t-shirt, which more than likely belonged to Reid, and it went to about her mid thigh. Reid was standing by the door looking like he would rather be anywhere but where he was.

"Oh, this is bad."

"Hi Derek." Ella said in a voice that was way to chipper for the situation. "You know Lila Archer, right?" She made the other woman's name sound like it tasted bad to say it.

"Yes, we've met."

"Good as long as we're all acquainted." She said running her hand through her hair and fluffing it a little. It was a nervous habit she had; Morgan had seen her do it several times in the hospital when Reid and Em got hurt. "Spencer was just about to explain the half naked elephant in the room."

"Are you calling me fat, tiny?"

"Nope, if anything I'd call you a stick figure that's in desperate need of a sandwich. That was a figure of speech." Wow, there was a lot of venom in that sentence. Morgan closed the door and moved to stand near Ella. He had a feeling he was going to be prying her hands from someone's neck.

"Lila, what are you doing here?" Reid asked sounding defeated.

"I think it's pretty obvious why she came." That was true. There weren't many things one would come to do in lingerie.

"I came to see you. I thought maybe you would want to spend the night with a real woman. I missed you." Ella moved forward and Morgan pulled her back.

"Thank you." She said softly letting him put more distance between her and the sofa.

"Anytime."

"I thought when I didn't answer your calls you would get the picture. I'm with Ella now."

"Just because there's a goalie in the net doesn't mean I can't score." Ella moved again and Morgan pulled her back.

"Thanks again, even though I really wanted to do it that time."

"Anytime."

"I haven't done this since high school so I need you to walk me through it. Do I smack that smug look of your face or can we handle this like adults?" Ella asked letting Morgan hold her back for the time being.

"What are you talking about?"

"I've been with a lot of pricks and assholes in my day but he isn't one of them. He didn't handle this situation the right way but that's a horse of a completely different hue. I don't remember the last time I was with a man I was willing to fight for. He's good for me and I'm good for him. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna let you take that away from me. I'm a society girl, which unfortunately means I know how to out bitch the best of them."

"And if he chooses me?"

"I'll show up here in lingerie and a trench coat, unoriginal but effective." She looked down and Morgan could tell she regretted the statement. "If he really wants you, I'll walk away. I just want him to be happy." Morgan put an arm around her and gave her a comforting squeeze.

"I thought you were willing to fight, you're not good enough for him."

"I am, but nothing will prove I love him more than letting him go if that's what he wants."

"Can we stop talking about him like he's not here?" Reid said quietly but his voice held an edge of anger. "Can I talk to Lila alone?" Ella nodded even as a tear fell out of her eye. Morgan let her go and she walked back toward the bedroom. Morgan gave Reid a look before he stepped outside. Five minutes later Ella came flying out the door. She was fully dressed, jeans, biker boots, rolling stones t-shirt, and leather motorcycle jacket. She dropped her bag as she pulled her hair into a messy bun. Morgan wasn't where she could see him but he could see her. She pulled out her phone and dialed a number with shaking hands.

"Hey Bobby, its Ella...I've been better. I really want to...you said to call when I...uhh, feel this way...I know. It's just been one of those days. Juan said to call you and I know we don't really know each other but I need...yeah." She was crying and her back was pressed against the wall near the stairs. "Yeah, I know exactly where that is... He told you all that? It's true I guess. It's my boyfriend he just... No, that's not necessary. I promise you it's not... You'll be the first to know if that changes... I'll explain. I'll be there in 20... Silver and black dodge challenger...ok, thanks." Before she could walk away Morgan stepped in front of her.

"Don't do anything stupid." She gave him a watery smile and a pat on the arm.

"That's exactly what I'm trying not to do, Derek." With that she turned and took off down the steps. Morgan didn't like the way that sounded. There was a look in he saw in her eyes. It seemed too familiar. He walked back to the apartment just in time to hear the tail end of the Reid and Lila's conversation through the door.

"_I really want to hate her, but who can compete with that_."

"_There is no competition, we broke up! I'll admit that I let the other stuff go on too long. It was nice to have you around sometimes. But we're over and I'm completely in love with her. You shouldn't have come."__  
__"I thought you were just being pissy again. Every time I talk to you it's something different. I love you. I thought that mattered_."

"_You don't love me Lila_."

"_Yes I do_."

"_No you don't. You don't even know what that would look like. You like me, yes; you care about me, maybe? You might even enjoy having me around. But love means occasionally caring about someone else's feelings more than your own. It's always about what you want. No one has ever been as good to me as she is. No one ever listen to me talk about something for twenty minutes without looking bored or irritated with me. No one ever told me I was beautiful or called me sexy. No one ever treated me like I was a man and not a toy or a novelty item. And then she came into my life, maybe the toughest most independent woman I have ever met. She treats me like I matter, and not only when she gets bored with her life. She makes coffee for me even when she doesn't drink any. She buys shampoo and soap for me when she sees that I'm low. She doesn't push me to tell her my deep__dark secrets__but she'll sit up with me when I have nightmares. She's a god damn super hero. She knows more about comic book heroes than I do. She watches star trek even though she doesn't always care what happens like I do. She introduces me to new things. Point out__one of those things__if you've ever done it for me_." There was a long silence and Morgan wasn't sure if it was simply because Lila wasn't yelling like Reid. "_Exactly my point. There is no competition; there is the past and the present. I'm sorry. I hope you find it, Lila_."

"_Find what_?"

"_Whatever it is that you're looking for but I could never b_e." Lila opened the door and looked at Morgan before turning back to Reid.

"She'll break your heart." She said softly.

"That's a possibility. But at least I know what it feels like, thank you for that." Lila looked like she wanted to cry as she fastened her trench coat.

"You've changed, you used to be nicer. You used to care how I felt about you. She's turned you into a real bastard. And when she leaves you, you'll realize just how much."

"Standing up for myself, however late I am in doing it, doesn't make me a bastard. Not letting you charm me into forgetting what it feels like when you wake up in the morning and decide it's time to get back to your real life doesn't make me a bastard either. I grew up somewhere between when we met and right now. It's about time you saw that. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings but it's time we call this what it is. It's been over for a long time. We just tended to ignore it." She turned and walked away. Reid looked around expecting to see what wasn't there, or who wasn't there. He looked up at Morgan and looked away when he shook his head.

"Did Ella ever have a problem, you know, a drug or alcohol problem?" Reid shook his head as he grabbed his coat.

"Not that I know of, why?" Morgan shook his head; maybe it wasn't what it sounded like. But he was almost sure that he'd heard Reid have that same conversation once. He'd told Morgan he was talking to his sponsor when he asked.

"Nothing, she was probably on the phone with a friend. It just sounded like…well it's not important. Are you okay?" Reid shrugged as he locked the door and started walking.

"Did she look pissed?"

"More upset than pissed but I'm sure the latter wasn't far behind."

"She's keeping something from me. I see it every now and then. She's really good at hiding that something is or was wrong with her. But when she's upset, when I piss her off, I can see it. It's in her eyes, the way she stands like she's poised for a fight, the tension in her shoulders. I see it. I've asked her and every time she just gives me a vague answer and begs me not to dig. Every part of me wants to dig or have Garcia look her up."

"You think she hasn't already done that? Michaela Rose Prentiss is completely clean. She's got speeding tickets out the ass but I'm sure you know that. She was a witness to a case in Vegas about five years ago but it's sealed. She didn't dig any further than that. There were no drug charges on her record." Reid nodded as they climbed into Morgan's SUV. He drove quietly for a while but he knew that he needed to say something to Reid. "Have you told her?"

"I don't know how to broach the subject. Then there is so much I can't tell her. I just decided it was easier not to do it."

"Maybe when you're honest with her she'll be honest with you." Reid didn't respond and Morgan didn't really expect him to. "So a famous actress, an ambassador's daughter, and an FBI agent walk into a bar," he joked looking over at his best friend.

"I know, it's hilarious." Reid commented dryly.

Reid got home late, he'd tried to stay out, but Ella wasn't there. There was no sign that she had been there after he left. He tried to call her but she wasn't answering her phone. He found himself pacing waiting for her. Things like what had happened earlier never happened to him. There were never two women who wanted him at the same time. There were never women fighting over him. He'd never heard a woman say she would fight for him. Things like that didn't happen to Spencer Reid. He was the outcast, the young awkward genius who had no idea how to deal with one woman. Dealing with two angry women was so far out of his wheel house he wasn't sure what it would look like before he saw it. He should have handled it differently. He shouldn't have stood in the living room gawking until Ella came out of the bedroom to see what was keeping him. He could say he was in shock, which was part true. He wouldn't put something like that past Lila but he never expected it. When she'd seen Ella she didn't leave like he expected her to. She picked a fight with her. If Morgan hadn't come when he did Reid was sure they would still be beating the crap out of each other. Reid busied himself with cleaning and changing into his pajamas. His nightly rituals seemed a lot less fun without Ella there. He heard the door open from his bedroom and looked over at the clock. It was two o'clock in the morning. Ella walked into the bedroom and didn't say a word. He heard her let out a sigh that sounded suspiciously like relief.

"What exactly did you expect to find?" Reid asked plopping down on the bed. She crossed her arms and leaned against the door after she closed it. It took her a couple of seconds to finally look up at him as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I think part of me expected to find you tangled up in bed with a leggy blonde actress." She said softly. Her body language gave Reid the impression that she wasn't sure she wanted to let him get close to her. He moved and she held up a hand to stop him. "I'm thinking clearly right now, if you get closer I won't be able to. I need us to have this conversation from distance okay."

"What do you think is going to happen?" She gave him a look that said he knew the answer to that question.

"Clothes disappear, my mind goes blank, logic goes out the window, wash, rinse, repeat. I end up passed out all because I couldn't control myself around my hot shirtless boyfriend."

"Where were you?"

"I was in the dark room most of the time, driving around the rest." There was something she wasn't saying and that bothered Reid. Was she out doing something bad and didn't want to tell him?

"Morgan said it sounded like you were talking to a Sponsor? Is everything okay?"

"It's amazing that you are the one that fucked up but I'm getting interrogated." Her words made him flinch. "Sorry, that was bitchy."

"No, you're right. I fucked up." She snorted and he frowned at her.

"Its odd hearing you swear, it's also kind of hot." He smiled at her but he notice hers was fading.

"I didn't know."

"I know but you didn't see the way you looked at her. You thought she was sexy and that made me jealous. You think with your dick less than any man I know. I have my insecurities, but when your boyfriend's ex is one of Maxim's top 100 it's another level." She admitted sitting on the floor. He got down on the floor and crawled to her. "I know how you feel about me but watching you gawk at her pissed me off."

"I can understand that. If it's any consolation, I'm pretty sure she's jealous of you now." Ella chuckled and moved into his lap. He normally pulled her into his lap, it was his favorite place to have her, but he knew she'd wanted to have a full conversation.

"I don't know what it's like to lose you and I don't want to know. But I can guess it's something terrible. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy, let alone the woman I sincerely considered smacking a few hours ago." She leaned forward and captured his lips in hers. The kiss started of soft until he buried his hand in her hair to deepen it. His tongue swept in savoring the sweet taste that was simply Ella. It was a mixture of root beer, her favorite thing to drink, Juicy Fruit, white chocolate mocha, and her cinnamon toothpaste. His fingers slipped up the back of her shirt high enough to know she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Ella Prentiss, you aren't wearing a bra." He commented when he pulled away.

"I know. I wish I could say it was premeditated but I just really wanted to get out the house." She said before pulling off her shirt. "Naughty right?" she purred softly. His eyes took in every inch of her bare skin his eyes clouding over appreciatively. She pulled away and stood up unbuttoning her jeans.

"Yes, very." He squeaked and she smiled. He still hadn't completely gotten over that. Five months they'd been together and he still squeaked when she was naked in front of him.

"I do love it when you get flustered." She pulled down her pants enough for him to get a quick glimpse of the only tattoo she had that she sort of regretted. She said she'd been really drunk at a tattoo party almost seven years ago. It was a red kiss print on her left ass cheek with the word _Bacilo _under it. Bacilo means kiss me in Italian. She reached up and pulled the ponytail holder out of her hair and let it fall around her shoulders. "So boyfriend, want to take a guess as to what else I'm not wearing?" she asked kicking off her shoes and crawling on the bed. She turned over as he stood up off the floor and sat up on her elbows to look at him. His hand found her leg and pulled her closer so he could reach her waist. He could see the pink lace of her panties as he let his fingers dip in the waist band. She lifted her hips and let him pull both the jeans and panties off. "Nice guess Dr. Reid, now I'm not wearing anything. I've been very bad; I think you might even have to frisk me." She purred pulling his shirt up and off meeting his eyes again. Reid couldn't get his pants off fast enough.

"I'll have to be very thorough," he whispered as his mouth wrapped around her nipple sucking at it hungrily. She arched and mewled under him. He peppered soft wet kisses over skin as he positioned himself between her legs. She didn't respond until he sunk deep inside her.

"I wouldn't have at any other way."

**I apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes I made. This was mostly written on my blackberry. And it's unbelievably late so my proofreading skills leave much to be desired. I hope you enjoyed this, for there is a much more epic fight coming in the future. ****I****do, h****owever, believe in happy endings. **


	7. Happiness is a Warm Gun

**Hi again my lovelies. I've been a busy girl. Sorry this took so long to update. I can't promise you they'll come much quicker though, school is going to be keeping me busy for a while. Happiness is a Warm Gun is another song by the Beatles. As always I think you should listen but it's okay if it isn't your thing. Unfortunately, I still don't own Criminal Minds but I would love a few hours with MGG. I gave you a couple of relatively clean chapters, this one is anything but. Read and Review! Enjoy!**

_Sex is more than an act of pleasure, it's the ability to be able to feel so close to a person, so connected, so comfortable that it's almost breathtaking to the point you feel you can't take it. And at this moment you're apart of them._

_~Author Unknown_

Ella came as fast as she could. She had been at school when Spencer called but his voice told her something was wrong. He sounded wrong. She took the steps two at a time; she couldn't wait for the elevator. He hadn't asked her to come over and that was strange in itself. Whenever he got back from a case she was the first person he wanted to see. He'd told her so on more than one occasion. She had to steady herself to unlock the door. Her hands were shaking. She'd called Emily on the way to see if she was ok. She told Ella the case had been bad, the kind It's hard to sleep after. After that Ella ran two red lights and did well over the speed limit. When she unlocked the door and opened only darkness met her. Reid's go bag was beside the door and his coat was strewn across the sofa. She walked back to the bedroom taking off her coat and dropping her bag on the way. She half expected to find him on the bed asleep but that wasn't what she got. He was sitting on the floor shirtless staring at the bed like it attacked him. He'd been having headaches and nightmares. She knew all about them, she also knew he refused medication. She wondered why but when she saw him she just knew. She knew from personal experience that when there is something you are desperately trying to escape it's really easy to find the first substance that made it happen. She knew what to do when it was someone she didn't know but it was different trying to help the man she loved. The craving part she barely understood herself and she experienced it more than she would like. She'd found that giving herself the small things, allowing herself to lose a little control in less detrimental ways, made it easier to deal with denying the big things. She squatted down so she could really look at him and so he could see her. His face said all. Her man was in pain and it broke her heart. She didn't know what to do. She reached for him and he leaned into her touch putting his hands on her arms. His grip tightened but he wasn't hurting her.

"You shouldn't be here." He said quietly. Ella ran her fingers through his hair and his eyes fell closed.

"There's no place I'd rather be, Carissimo." Carissimo was her pet name for him, it meant dearest in Italian. His pet name for her was Tesoro, it meant treasure in Italian. He pulled her to him dragging her into his lap burying his face in her neck. He inhaled deeply and it tickled her skin. Her legs tightened on his sides in response and his arms tightened around her body.

"I'm sorry." She ran her fingers through his hair again pressing her body against his.

"I won't break; hold me as tight as you need to." She let her arms wrap around his neck as she whispered in his ear.

"I don't want you to have to deal with this."

"You don't have to name the substance or why but I'm not going anywhere Spencer." He pulled back so he could look at her. Ella did her best to make sure there wasn't a shadow of doubt inside her.

"How did you know?" She had to work hard to concentrate as his hand slid up the back of her shirt. Her body immediately reacted to his touch, it always did. She shivered fighting for control.

"Personal experience." Reid heard her but he also felt her shiver. He reached down tugging on her shirt his eyes locked with her. She lifted her arms and let him pull it off of her. It got tossed quickly before his hand moved over the black lace bra barely covering her breasts. He yanked the strap down and latched his mouth on her shoulder sucking hard. A whimper escaped her and she didn't need a mirror to know her eyes were clouding over fast. Reid pulled away to admire his work. He'd marked her, and the idea seemed to turn him on if the raging hard-on pressed against Ella's ass was any indication. He pressed his lips to the mark. "What do you need?" Her voice was breathy and husky as his fingers traced patterns across her bare skin.

"You." His reply was simple.

"Then take me, I'm yours. I won't break." He kissed her hard plunging his tongue into her mouth and sweeping it across hers. She rolled her hips against him burying her hands in his hair.

"You want me to fuck you?" The question sent shivers down her spine. He pulled back looking into her eyes. She nodded; she didn't trust her voice when he looked at her that way. She tried any way.

"The question is do you wanna fuck me?" Her bra fell loose around her and she hadn't been expecting it. That's what happens when you date a magician, she never even felt him touch it. She let him pull it off of her not expecting his mouth to immediately latch on to her nipple. He nipped at it with his teeth and soothed it with his lips and tongue. She was grinding her hips absent mindedly against his trying to create enough friction. His hands grabbed her hips not letting her move anymore. He was just on the edge of taking control when he started to pull back. She put her hands on his face and made him look at her. The look in his eyes was so raw and filled with need. She absently wished she had her camera. "With me it's okay to lose a little of that iron clad control, Spencer. Sometimes rough and frenzied is just what you need. So stop thinking," she laid back between his legs kicking hers up as she pulled her pants over her hips and off of each leg. She'd barely got the pants off before she felt his fingers touching her through her panties. He put pressure on her clit massaging it making her squirm. She whimpered in protest when he pulled his fingers away till he ran his hands over her body. He lifted her pushing her further back on the floor and nipped and kissed his way from her breasts down her body. He just about ripped her panties off of her; the force brought a sound from her. No one ever really saw this side of Spencer Reid. The people at his job thought he was virginal and that she was going to taint him. Truth be told, he was changing her. He pressed soft wet kisses to her inner thigh and she was losing her ability to focus. He was everywhere at once, all around her drowning her in sensation. Something she was pretty sure no one at the BAU knew he was good at. His mouth found her clit sucking until she was ready to climb the walls. "Oh God, Spencer!" She moaned every stroke of his tongue pushing her and higher till the levy broke. He lapped at her through her orgasm before moving up her body. She should have been nervous; at least that's what one of her last fleeting thoughts inside her mind told her. The look in his eyes was so raw and blazing. He kissed her so hard it made her woozy and she could taste herself on his tongue. In one smooth rough stroke he was inside her and she cried out for him holding onto one of his arms. He set a frantic pace plunging into her hard and deep and fast pounding her into the carpet. Her legs wrapped around him drawing him deeper and dragging a sound so primal out of him it sounded painful. One of his hands grabbed her hips angling them just right till he hit the spot that had her clawing his back and screaming his name. One of her legs got pushed to her chest and hooked on his arm changing the angle again so every time he plunged into her the friction against her already sensitive bundle of nerves sent shock waves through her. The pressure built inside her and without much warning it exploded. She bit down on his shoulder to keep from screaming. A few strokes later Spencer came moaning her name against her skin. The heat from him washed through her. He laid his head on her chest his heart pounding against her stomach. His back was slick with sweat but that didn't stop Ella from making lazy circles over it with her fingers. Six months they'd been together and he never once lost control. He was always so gentle with her. She just wanted him to let go and stop thinking he was gonna hurt her.

"Are you okay?" She smiled down at him as he looked up at her.

"I'm fine, how are you?" His mouth was on her neck kissing and biting. His hands ran up and down her sides his thumbs digging in to her skin a little more.

"You smell so good." He said reverently as he kissed between her breasts nipping at her damp skin. "It's like roses and cherries." He was speaking softly before his tongue swirled around her nipple. Her fingers gripped his hair and his hands moved further down her body. He had a way of making her skin burn. She'd been with more than a few men in the 12 years since she lost her virginity, but none were like this.

"Tell me what you want, baby." His eyes rolled up to hers as she purred to him. He pulled back still staring down at her.

"Turn around." His voice was deep and thick as he made the command. She got on her hands and knees and kissed him. He looked worried and she needed to reassure him. "You'll tell me..." She didn't let him finish. She kissed him as hard as she could till his hands found their way to her body.

"I won't break." She whispered after she dragged her mouth away from his. She tried not to feel nervous thinking about what he could do to her. She put her hands on the bed and looked back at him. Tentatively his hands touched her hips moving up to cup her breasts. He kissed her shoulder and her neck sending shivers sliding up and down her spine. The heat pooled in her stomach was growing in intensity. His tongue traced up her spine and she moaned grinding against him like a cat in heat. He picked a spot on her shoulder and bit down, not hard enough to break her skin but hard enough to leave a mark. The next bite was on her back and her hands tightened on the sheets. The last one was right above her ass her hips bucked against him on their own accord. "God, Spencer." He pushed a finger inside her and groaned against her shoulder.

"You're so wet, Tesoro." He whispered in her ear before nipping at her shoulder and adding another finger. His other hand found her clit and she cried out for him.

"Spencer, please." She was begging and she normally didn't beg. He was driving her crazy. Sex with him had never been boring. It was always amazing. In some ways, Spencer letting go meant she could too.

"I love you, you know that right?" She turned and kissed him right as he plunged inside her. He swallowed her cry staying buried inside her. His hands cupped her breast and his thumbs brushed her nipples. She tried to move but he wasn't letting her.

"Ah fuck, Spencer please!" He pulled just about all the way out of her before plunging back in. She cried out but it wasn't in English. He groaned when he'd buried himself to the hilt inside her. "Spencer please!" She begged. He finally started moving, his pace was rough and deep and fast. His hand slipped under her finding her clit. She had to work hard to meet him thrust for thrust. It didn't take long for her to fall apart again. She buried her face in the bed holding on to his arm. Her nails dug into his skin. She wasn't even screaming in English.

"Mine." He growled in her ear as he pounded into her.

"Yes baby, yours! Oh God, Spencer." She cried out throwing her hips back at him with a little more force.

"Oh fuck!" She heard Spencer swear and she had to work hard to speak the way she wanted. Her throat was raw.

"Come on Carissimo, come for me." She managed to moan out as another orgasm exploded over her. His pace became frantic and he was losing his rhythm. She was coming down when he bottomed out inside her moaning out his own release pushing her over the edge again. He pulled out of her and laid down pulling her down with him. Ella grabbed the blanket off the bed. Three hours later they'd had sex on just about every sturdy surface Ella could think of between his bedroom and the living room. The wall in the hallway, the kitchen counter, the coffee table, the sofa, and a couple of more times on the floor. Ella was pretty sure one or both of them would be sore in the morning. She had no doubt. She was currently laid out on his chest with a blanket draped across their waists. He was playing with her hair and making lazy circles on her skin. They had ended up in this same position the first time they made love. To look up at him she rested her chin on her hand on his chest. He looked down at her and it was a very confident masculine look. She smiled, he looked very proud of himself.

"What?" He asked smiling down at her.

"You have that smug 'I just fucked you stupid' look on your face."

"I don't know what you're talking about." He lied.

"Yeah whatever you say genius. Give me a couple hours of sleep, a sandwich, and a shot of tequila. I'll wipe that look right off of that pretty face of yours." He chuckled before leaning down and kissing her.

"What, you're out of energy? I can go at least two more times. I thought I was the old one between us." Ella hit him playfully before biting his nipple. His hand tightened in her hair in response.

"You gotta dish it out cowboy; all I have to do is take it." Another smug smile crossed his face.

"I've never been called cowboy before, I think I like it." He leaned down and kissed her again.

"I could get you a hat and some spurs. Every man needs a pair of assless chaps. But a few minutes ago you were more like the horse; I believe I was doing all the riding." He chuckled before he pulled her into another kiss. This one held the promise of something Ella wasn't sure her body could handle. Before it got too far he pulled back and looked at her.

"Thank you, Tesoro." He whispered softly his eyes full of emotion.

"For what?"

"Being you, not running screaming from the room. I know you didn't sign up for this." She stopped him before he could say something self deprecating. She pressed a soft kiss to his chest.

"Being in love with you isn't conditional to me Spencer. If you're looking for someone without a past, I'm not that girl."

"Being in love with you isn't conditional for me either. Can I ask you something though?" She nodded as she moved so she was more on his side than on top of him. Her leg went across his waist and he tucked her against him."What did you mean by personal experience?" She was dreading that question. She just had to open her big mouth and say the wrong thing. She could have given another explanation; she'd given plenty over the years when people wanted to know what happened to her over a year. She looked up into his eyes and gave him an honest answer.

"Things got pretty bad for me in Vegas; I ended up in the hospital pretty beat up. I got hooked on pain meds. This is one of those times where I'm going to beg you to let it go. Please don't dig." He was about to ask her why when someone knocked on the door. "That's probably dinner. You might want to go put on pants." She snatched up the blanket and wrapped it around herself. She opened the door smiling after looking through the peephole. Morgan and Emily were standing there. Ella made sure they didn't see her very naked boyfriend hobble down the hall. She'd told him that thing on the table would come back to haunt him. Morgan whistled and Emily blushed covering her eyes.

"Jesus, you couldn't put on some clothes before you opened the door?" Emily groaned turning her back to her sister.

"That would have been rude." Ella smiled until Spencer came back in pajama pants and a t-shirt. His hair was a mess and that made her smile a very smug smile.

"Now who's smug, Tesoro?" He asked pulling her away from the door. He handed her one of his shirts but she was laughing to hard. She pulled him down by his shirt and kissed him hard before smacking him on the ass.

"I got rid of that smile Carissimo, and I didn't even need the tequila."


	8. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

**A/N: Hello again, my lovelies. I'm sorry again for the delay but I still can't promise you anything on the next one. Blame college, it's all their fault. Anyway heres another chapter, I hope you like it and aren't to pissed at me. Like I told you before, I love happy endings...The name of this chapter is the title of my favorite John Mayer and it describes the situation more or less. **

_"We dance around in a ring and suppose, While the secret sits in the middle and knows."_

_~Robert Frost_

Why was this happening? That's the question that seemed to be running in circles in Ella's mind. For the first time in a very long time she was happy. She was happy with who she was, she'd taken all the little broken pieces of who she used to be and turned them into something good. She was happy with Spencer. He made her feel like she was floating all the time. She felt like she could tell him anything, wanted to tell him everything. So why was she lying to him? Why was he lying to her? He was perfect, and for some reason he didn't see how much of a mess she really was. She couldn't help feeling like a fake. She couldn't face him if he knew. Then he'd know she wasn't as strong as she acted. She survived but just barely. She was almost there, that point where life takes a turn for the better, and then the letters started. Someone wanted forgiveness that they didn't deserve. Can you forgive someone for destroying you? Ella wasn't sure she could. Spencer deserved to know everything but there was a selfish voice in the back of her mind telling her she would lose him. He would look at her like he looked at his victims with sympathy and pity. Poor Ella, she was so stupid. She pissed off the wrong man and paid the ultimate price. Poor Ella, she nearly killed herself trying to forget. She couldn't get that look from him. Every guy she dated and told looked at her that way right before they started treating her like a china doll. She hadn't been breakable for a long time. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She knew that if Spencer left her or stopped looking at her the way he did she'd be very breakable. She'd had a broken heart before but she'd never been so invested. He was such a big part of her life she was sure she'd fall apart. Who knew love really could change a girl like her. She didn't, that's for sure. She was staring at a picture of him in the dark room smiling to herself. It was almost 1 am and she needed to get back to him. She had never loved anyone so much in her life, loved so hard it hurt. She knew she was acting strange and she had to go home and show him how much she loved him. He had to know he was her heart and nothing could change that. She'd started having dreams of having his children and marrying him before the nightmares came back. Why couldn't Aaron Ivy just leave her alone and let her be happy? Didn't she deserve it?

It was another hour before she got home and Spencer was still awake. He looked angry and she couldn't blame him. She'd been gone more and more the last few weeks and he wanted answers. He kept asking her if she was okay, she'd say yes and jump him every time. It wasn't about distracting him, it was more about wiping that sad terrified look of his face. She couldn't stand that look either. It was also about getting the cold feeling off of her skin before it could sink in to far.

"If I ask you where you've been will you tell me?"

"I was in the dark room; I had a lot of film to develop." He shook his head.

"So that's a no then. I went to the dark room and you weren't there." His tone said he was angry. She should have backed down but she got defensive.

"Checking up on me, nice." She said sarcastically before walking off toward the bedroom.

"No I missed you. I've been gone for three days; I just wanted to see you." She felt like a bitch. He wasn't the one terrorizing her.

"I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that. I worked in my office, met a new author, and then went to the dark room. You want to see my favorite?" She pulled out a picture she took of Spencer and Henry. Spencer was reading a thick book with Henry in his lap staring up at him lovingly. Spencer took the picture from her and smiled. "You look so happy with him, Uncle Spencer." One of her meaner inner voices complimented her on the effective subject change. But it didn't take long for Spencer's face to sober.

"Are you okay? Are we okay?" He asked the last question sheepishly as he sat on the bed. Ella put her stuff down and took off her jacket. She moved in front of him running her hands through his hair. She scratched his scalp feeling a shiver go through her when he groaned. His hands slid around her waist as he pulled her to his body.

"You, my love, are perfect. I'm just happy you love me." She said softly before leaning down to kiss him. "Now let me show you how much." She purred pulling off her shirt.

* * *

She'd done it again. It was becoming more and more frequent and it drove Reid crazy. They were practically living together. During the week they were at his place and on the weekends they hid out at Ella's. This time was worse than ever though. He'd woken up in bed alone and she hadn't left a note telling him where she was or if she was coming back. She'd been gone more and more in the last month and it was pissing Reid off. It wasn't so much that she was busy; it was that she was lying to him. She was out until two AM the night before and then she was gone before he woke up. So he woke up naked and alone, again. He felt like an idiot, he had planned to talk to her last night but she came in and practically climbed him. He was a genius, but he was a man too. The woman he loved needed him so he was there. He did whatever she needed and she pretended to fall asleep. He knew she was awake. He could feel her tears on his skin. When he asked her what was wrong she told him nothing and went for round two. He felt like he'd done something wrong. Was she cheating on him? That seemed like the only explanation. That had to be what she was keeping for him. There was someone else and she didn't love him anymore. He heard the door open and stayed in his room. He'd been pacing for the last hour. If she had fallen asleep at some point during the night, she'd only slept for about three hours. He kept pacing until she walked in. she was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt with the Uggs boots he'd bought her when he found out she'd liked them. She handed him a cup of coffee which he took but he was still pissed at her.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" she looked up at him and away quickly. She put the coffee down because her hands were shaking, he'd seen it. They'd been doing that a lot lately whenever he asked her a question she didn't want to answer.

"Everything is fine, Spencer." It would have been more convincing if she hadn't called him Spencer. She'd called him that less and less in the last three months. She still called him "Doc" sometimes but most of the time it was Carissimo or baby. Spencer was usually reserved for special times. She walked out of the room toward the kitchen and he followed her. He was tired of letting it go and tired of being lied to.

"So you're just going to keep lying to my face? Why?" she stopped walking for a second but kept walking before he could reach her. "Is it me? Did I do something wrong?"

"No baby, you're perfect." She said it softly and he could tell she meant it. She told him that a lot and it confused him. It was like saying he was perfect and she wasn't. He cornered her against the counter and she wouldn't look at him. "Please, just let it go." But he couldn't, he'd been trying but he just couldn't. "I let you keep your secrets, let me keep mine."

"Do you love me?" she looked up at him and her eyes were shining with unshed tears.

"Of course I do Carissimo; I love you more than you know." She said softly before moving away from him.

"Is there someone else?" She looked up at him and it wasn't a sad look. He'd hit a nerve, there was anger in her eyes.

"No, is that what you think?"

"I don't know what to think. You keep lying to me. Is there someone else? Is that why you won't look at me or talk to me?" she shook her head but she wasn't looking at him anymore.

"Leave it alone Spencer, please. I love you; I'm in love with you. Can't you just accept that and leave it alone?" she tried to walk away and he caught her arm.

"Will you stop running and talk to me? Tell me what's wrong. You're acting different and you won't tell me why. What the fuck am I supposed to think?" she winced when he cursed. She'd rubbed off on him, when he was angry he tended to use her words.

"Just trust me, Spencer. That's all I want. You don't have to understand, just trust me. I love you. There is no one I want more than you." The tears were back and she walked away again. She went to the bedroom and he followed her and slammed the door. She jumped, he'd never scared her before and it wasn't the first time he'd slammed the door.

"Is someone hurting you?" She shook her head and moved toward the door but he blocked her way.

"Someone will never hurt me again." She said it as a reflex but he could tell that she regretted it. The tears were sliding down her face. He hated seeing her cry but he couldn't go on like that. Those words bothered him. He couldn't think of what he would do if someone had or still was hurting her.

"So someone did hurt you?" He asked quietly moving toward her. She took a step back and he stopped.

"Leave it alone." Reid barely heard her she said it so low.

"Who hurt you?" he moved again and she shoved him back moving to the other side of the room.

"I said leave it the FUCK alone!"

"I'm always wondering when you're going to tell me you want to leave me. You're keeping something from me and it's killing me. Can't you see that?"

"Don't do that." She said between clenched teeth.

"Do what?"

"Dump all your guilt on me. I'm not the only one keeping secrets and we both know it. I let you keep yours, I don't push. Show me the same courtesy." That was true, but most of the stuff he hadn't told her, he couldn't. Well, that wasn't completely true. He wanted to keep her away from his job. He'd found her and she was pure, he didn't want to taint her. Was that wrong? Was it wrong to beg to know everything about her but keep such big secrets from her, probably?

"I can't keep wondering when the other shoe is going to drop. Just talk to me!"

"I can't!" she cried moving away from him again. He pressed his back to the door and slid down.

"Why can't you? Why can't you just tell me what's going on? I can see it affecting you El. I know something is wrong and I'm begging you. I need you to talk to me." She shook her head again and started pacing.

"I can't."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because you will never look at me the same if I tell you. I can't stand that, Spencer. I just need you to let me handle this on my own." Her phone rang, _Spoon full of Sugar_, Aubrey was calling her. She moved to get it but he grabbed it.

"I can't do this anymore." He said quietly. She laughed but there was no humor in it. It was wet and a sob followed quickly behind it. He couldn't look at her.

"So that's it?"

"I can't keep living like this? I can't. I tried to give you time. I've known there was something you weren't telling me for months. I kept trying to ignore it but it was right there in my face. Every time I would ask you, you would either lie to my face or beg me not to push. I admit I have secrets. I was trying to protect you."

"So your secrets are for my benefit but mine are simply to hurt you? How is that fair? Did you ever stop to think that maybe I was trying to protect you too? That maybe what I'm not telling you is bad and I just want to keep you from it and not it from you? I tell you I love you, that I've never loved anyone the way I love you. It must really mean nothing to you." He looked up at her his eyes full of tears too.

"I believe you. I know you love me. You just don't trust me." she laughed again.

"Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle a fucking hypocrite. I trust you, I trust you with my life, my heart, and my body. What the hell else do you want from me? I'm giving her all she's got Captain!" He winced at the tone of her voice. She was pissed; he could feel it coming off of her. "I don't do what you want and you're done with me, just like that?"

"You're lying to me! This is not because you wouldn't go see a movie with me or listen to my music? You look me in the eye and lie!"

"Fuck you! I haven't lied to you." He stood up and moved toward her then. He was surprised to see her take another step back before she stopped herself.

"_Everything is fine, Spencer._ That's a lie. Something is eating you alive. I know what that looks like. You can't even trust me enough to be honest with me! And then I see you with that guy?" she looked at him confused.

"What guy? What the hell are you talking about?" He hadn't meant to bring that up. He'd seen her out with a guy, he was tall and tanned. He had dirty blonde hair cut so short you could barely tell the color. His shoulders were broad and he looked like he played a sport. His arm had been around her shoulders and she was smiling up at him. He'd only seen it because he was checking up on her. Morgan told him not to bring it up; he'd said that their relationship didn't come off sexual. He'd agreed then but he was jealous and he hated that he felt that way.

"The guy you were walking with downtown. Blonde, tan, built like a line backer, he had his arm around you."

"He's a kid; he wants to go the school I go to. He's my friend, that's it. I would go to jail for dating him. Why didn't you just ask me or say hello when you saw me?" he shook his head.

"Because asking you a question usually gives me such good results?" She took a deep breath and sighed.

"It's completely okay for you to slink around behind corners to see what I'm doing but I don't tell you what you want to hear and your panties are all in a knot? How is that fair? Is something bothering me, yes, do you need to worry about it, no. Everything _is _fine." She moved away and he grabbed her arm harder then he meant to. He understood why she did it, it was a reflex. He'd seen her do it to a guy in a bar and that guy at the charity benefit. He hadn't meant to grab her that hard but when she hit him he backed away. Her hands went to her mouth and she moved to him to apologize.

"I deserved that I guess." It didn't make his eye hurt any less.

"No you didn't, I'm sorry. I just need you to let it go. For once just trust me? I don't know what else you need from me?"

"I need you to leave. I'm done." She nodded and grabbed her purse as he handed her phone.

"I'm sorry Spencer. I really am." With that she touched his face and kissed him on the cheek. When she kissed him every fiber of his being wanted to pull her to his body and tell her he was sorry. He could feel the tears on her cheeks. Then she turned and left. Before she went out the door she stopped. "No matter what you think Spencer Reid, I love you, and I always will." She closed the door behind her and his knees gave out. His mind argued with him when he thought _that didn't happen. _He kept telling himself that any minute she was going to come back and he could apologize for being irrational. He didn't mean what he said; he didn't want her to leave. It just came out. The more he thought about it his chest hurt, it was a dull throbbing ache that radiated through his whole body. _What have I done? What exactly does losing her accomplish?_ The thoughts raced through his mind. What was so bad that she couldn't tell him? He spent the rest of the day staring at the bed wondering what had just happened.


	9. Violet Hill

**A/N: Hello again my lovelies. Here is another chapter for you. We find out what big secret Ella has been hiding from our favorite doctor and it's not a pretty one. The title of this chapter is a song by Coldplay and as always I think you should take a listen. I don't own CM, if I did I would be much richer and I would totally be all over MGG. Read and Review. And as always, enjoy!**

_"Build your world around me, and promise to never let me go, and if __ever __their comes a time it may seem to crowded, may we expand so love may grow. _

_~Robert M. Hensel_

Morgan walked into the BAU on a Saturday and he wasn't completely happy about it. Garcia called him all worked up about something and he went to see what was wrong. He had a bad feeling that it had something to do with Ella. He's asked her to do more digging and unseal the case Ella was involved in. Reid had told him Ella was acting different and lying to his face. She had to be hiding something. Then there were the letters he'd caught her burning. He walked into Garcia's lair and found her tapping away at her keyboard.

"Hey baby girl. What's up?"

"I feel dirty digging through her life this way. I actually like her." She said softly turning to look at him.

"I know but if she's hiding something that could bite him in the ass we need to know about it." She nodded and turned back to her computer as he rubbed her back.

"I found something strange. She's not the only person we know involved in that case." She said clicking on a link and opening a file. "This is public record; it lists Aubrey McDaniel as another witness. It also lists author Peyton VanHolt and his two kids Honor and Tate as witnesses."

"Have you unsealed the file yet?"

"Yea that's why I called. I had to hack more than one network to get to this file. Whoever locked it away didn't want anyone to see it."

"That can't be good." Just as he it said the file opened.

"Okay, so it looks like a rape case. A man named Aaron Ivy raped and brutalized four women. Shannon Heart, Krista Sheridan, Aubrey M, and...oh my sweet girl." She said as the photos popped up on the screen. Garcia closed her eyes and Morgan couldn't believe his. "We have to tell him."

"I know baby girl but it's gonna break his heart."

"Do you think Emily knows?" There were tears in Garcia's eyes.

"They weren't talking then. Something tells me there is a lot she doesn't know about her little sister."

* * *

Six days, six very long and lonely days and he still had a black eye. He wasn't sleeping much; it was like his bed was foreign to him. It didn't feel the same without Ella. He'd been sleeping on the sofa but he could only sleep hugging her pillow. It smelled like her shampoo which was still in his bathroom. He'd actually made the mistake of accidently washing his hair with it and that had been one miserable day. He felt pathetic. He knew he was in love with her but he didn't realize just how much till she was gone. Every part of his body hurt. This wasn't the first break up he'd had to live through, but it was by far the worst. He felt like he'd lost a vital organ, he still expected her to come bouncing in the door. He should be pissed at her for keeping secrets from him. She was right though, he was a hypocrite. He'd been keeping secrets too. She was lying to him and he knew it. He couldn't, for the very life of him, figure out just what the hell she was keeping from him. He was a profiler; it was his job to figure out what people were hiding. Then he had to go and fall in love with the one girl he couldn't read. She was smart and sweet, giving almost to a fault. She was defensive when ever her independence was threatened. She had a right hook that made his face feel like it was broken, that suggests training. She was free and fun but in her eyes he could tell she had seen a lot. Then there was the way she'd looked when she opened a letter. That bothered him. She'd been getting letters for nearly a month and she wouldn't show them to him. She wouldn't explain why they freaked her out so bad. She just burned them. She said it wasn't important. Could someone be stalking her? If that was the case he just sent her away to get killed. He would never forgive himself if that happened.

"Oh my God, I'm an idiot!" He said it out loud as he ran his hands through his hair and slammed his head on his desk.

"You're damn right you are." Aubrey said appearing next to him. "Can I yell...I mean talk to you in private Dr. Reid?" He took her to a conference room and closed the door. She was standing with her arms folded her anger radiating from her like heat from a bonfire. "For a genius you're really fuckin stupid."

"I know."

"She's been in Vegas for a week claiming that she's helping VanHolt with another book. He's worried about her. She left two days ago and came back with different hair and new clothes claiming she was okay. She's in love with you dumb ass! I can't tell you what happened, because that's just not fair. But I can tell you it was bad and she was in a lot of pain after it happened. She kept it out of papers because she didn't want to embarrass her family. She went off the deep end until a cop talked her into going to counseling. That's where we met. That's why she calls me her spoon full of sugar. We took krav maga together. We did everything together. She says I saved her but she really saved me. That's why I'm here. She didn't tell you because she didn't want what that sick bastard did to her to affect her entire life. Three people know about what happened to her, me, Isles, and one of her authors." He sat down and ran his hands through his hear again. He was supposed to be a genius but he had missed every sign.

"The one in Vegas, that boy was his son wasn't it?"

"Yes, that's Tate, he thinks of Ella like a big sister. He wanted to go to Georgetown to be closer to her and to see something besides Vegas." He ran his hands over his face, his eyes were watering. The door opened just as he was about to respond. Prentiss, Morgan, and Garcia walked in. Prentiss looked confused while Morgan and Garcia looked guilty. They sat down around the table after Garcia gave Aubrey a sad look.

"We should have told you sooner but we were so worried about you after the break up. Morgan asked me to do some digging after you mentioned the letters. I unsealed a case because I thought she was just a witness. I didn't know. If I had known I wouldn't have…" Aubrey took a deep breath and held it backing away.

"Why would you…" she moved toward Reid and shoved him out of his chair. Morgan's arms wrapped around her and pulled her away. "You stupid son of a bitch, you had them dig into her life. She loves you, she trusts you. She really considered telling you everything but she didn't want you to look at her different. She didn't want to be treated like a victim. But you did something worse. You treated her like a criminal." There were tears in her eyes as she pulled away from Morgan.

"I'm sorry, Aubrey. It was me. I asked her to do it because I was worried about her and him. She was getting letters."

"From Ivy, she was getting letters from Ivy."

"Can somebody tell me just what the hell is going on?" Reid yelled finally. Everyone looked at him; they weren't used to hearing him raise his voice. Garcia put a file down in front of him and Emily. Emily stared at hers for a few moments before opening it. She looked at the first sheet before going to the pictures. She got through the first five; they were of bruises on someone's body. Then she saw the last three and tears sprang to her eyes. She looked up at Morgan and Garcia who simply nodded with solemn expressions. Reid was just staring at the file. He wasn't sure he wanted to see what was inside. He'd fought with her, yelled at her, broke up with her, all over this secret she was keeping. And now it was right in front of him and he couldn't get his hands to move. He looked up at his friends and Aubrey standing near the wall. She looked haunted and she didn't want to be anywhere near those files. He met her eyes and they were filled with anger and contempt. He finally reached and opened the file. Aaron Ivey had cold glassy blue eyes; his hair was dark, long, and shaggy. It hung around his face. He had a sick grin on his face and cut on his forehead. The file said his last victim had given him that scar when he raped her. The reason he got caught was because the last victim recognized his voice. He looked through the pictures. The victim had three broken ribs, a fractured ulna, a crack in the zygomatic process, a dislocated shoulder, a concussion, and several cuts and bruises. He read through the report slower than he normally would. The first few pictures were of the bruises on her…the body. He couldn't think of who was in the pictures because that would make finding out impossible. There were handprints on her thighs, throat, and wrist. There were pictures of her ripped, blood covered clothes, a tiny black and blue strapless dress and strappy death trap heels. The last few pictures he could barely breathe through. They were of her face; her left eye was swollen shut and there was a large purple and black bruise on the other side. Her hair was a bright shade of red but he'd know her anywhere. He could tell from her injuries that she turned on her side and curled up when he was beating her. Most of her injuries were to her left side. Something wet dropped onto one of the pictures and he frowned looking up. His eyes were blurry and they hurt but Reid didn't know why. He reached up and touched his cheek and came back with moisture.

"She doesn't present like a rape victim. She only shows it when she's already upset." He said it on autopilot. He was rewarded with a really hard smack upside the head by Aubrey. He was tired of getting smacked around. He hadn't even seen her move.

"Call her that and she'll kick your ass. It's been four years, almost five. She's more than dealt with it."

"She disappears every Thursday and she won't tell me why. I saw her walking down the street arm and arm with a man laughing with him. She wouldn't talk to me about it. What the hell was I supposed to think? How did she expect me to react? The last couple of weeks she's been more on edge than usual. She'd disappear for hours at a time and then act like nothing happened."

"A couple of weeks ago she got a letter. I got one too. It was from Ivy asking for forgiveness for what he did to us. He sent flowers too but he sent them to her apartment. She freaked out at first thinking he was out and that he knew where she lived but the letters were sent to her PO Box. Peyton takes all her mail and sends it to her. After he started sending us letters it was hard to keep the nightmares at bay. You helped her; she could hold on to you and forget. At least that's what she told me."

"She lied to me. We've been together for 10 months. Why not just tell me the truth?"

"Oh and you are a pillar of truth? I don't see you sharing all your secrets with her. She knows you were addicted to something and that you have cravings but you won't tell her about it. She knows you had a rough childhood but you refuse to tell her about it. She never once pushed you, why do you insist on pushing her?" Aubrey was right; she'd helped him one night when he was craving badly. She said she knew the look and that he didn't have to tell her why, what, or how. All he had to do was hold on to her. "That's why I say for a genius you're pretty fuckin stupid. Now get off your ass and go get our girl." She said handing him a plane ticket. He looked up at her and his mind was going over all the reasons he couldn't just leave. He was ready to say he couldn't when she hit him again. He looked over at Emily; she had tears in her eyes and on her face. Aubrey handed her a ticket too. "You need to get to know your sister again. She's not the same kid from your memory, especially the distorted view you have. She'd grown up before but she became a super hero after. You need to talk to Isles; she's ready to tell you everything." Spencer didn't hear the tail end of their conversation. He imagined that Aubrey was ripping Emily a new one just like the one she tore him. He was gonna go but there was something he'd been keeping for about a month that he needed to bring with him. He didn't know what made him buy it. He'd been walking past a store and it called to him. It might as well have had her name on it. He meant to pass by, he meant to keep walking and not look back but his feet didn't listen. One minute he was walking in the store and the next he was handing over his credit card. He'd sat in his room and stared at it when she was gone. They were fighting; he wasn't even sure what made him buy it. But it was obvious that something inside him knew something he didn't. Now he had to go get his girl back. All of this went through his head before he walked into Hotch's office.

Somehow his flight had seemed inhumanly long. He was antsy and Emily wasn't much better. He'd never seen Prentiss jittery, a little jumpy after a bad case maybe, but never jittery. His mind was going through every conversation they ever had. He couldn't figure out how he hadn't figured it out. Was she really that hard to read? He felt like he didn't know anything about her but that wasn't true. He knew stuff he was pretty sure she never let anyone else see. He smiled thinking about her little quirks. It made him sick he found them so adorable. For example, she watched more nerd television than he did. Her favorite shows were Mythbusters and Dirty Jobs even though Dirty Jobs grossed her out. She wasn't sure if she believed in ghosts or not but she found ghost hunting shows unbelievably entertaining. She made fun of them but she wouldn't miss them if she didn't have too. Her favorite was Destination Truth, she was almost sure it was completely faked but she found the leader intriguing. She couldn't stand vanilla ice cream unless it was covered in some kind of sauce. Her favorite ice cream flavors were red velvet cake and apple pie. She enjoyed taking pictures of him when they were laying around in nothing but blankets. She'd climb on top of him so he couldn't run away. The picture on her phone when he called, he was shirtless and her face was buried his neck while she was kissing him. That same picture is on his nightstand next to his bed. The picture on his desk she'd let him take. She'd just woken up and she was lying next to him. She was wearing one of his shirts, bright red and old, and it was hanging off her shoulder. Her eyes were brighter than ever from the sun coming in the window. He'd grabbed her camera after he told her not to move and she'd just watched him with interest.

"You're smiling." He heard Prentiss say. She sounded surprised and if he was honest he was too.

"What?"

"You have a big smile on your face. I know that smile. What were you thinking about?" He looked at her and then back down at the book he wasn't reading.

"A picture I took. Ella is normally the one wielding the camera but there were a couple times were she relinquished her other boyfriend. She calls the camera Liam and it wasn't long before I started calling it that too. She woke up and she usually hides her face when she first wakes up. It's right before she stretches like a cat waking up from a nap. That morning she didn't, she just looked up at me. I was already awake. I told her not to move and she didn't, her eyes just followed me around the room. It's the picture on my desk."

"I've seen that picture. It's a good picture." She looked away and her eyes were watering again. Reid put his hand over hers.

"You didn't know." She shook her head.

"Nothing she ever did should have made me believe that she was the kind of person who would beat someone up for nothing. I knew she didn't like him or trust him. I just didn't know why." She was rubbing the file they'd had Garcia dig up. It was the case file for Ella's rape. He looked at the number and didn't understand why he never saw it. The roman numerals on her wrist under the sword, it was the date, V/XV/MMVI. May 15, 2006. She said Katrina changed her, but she was different before that. Emily had asked Garcia to go through Ella's financials. She had several charities she either founded or co-founded. It all made sense to him, where she went every Thursday, why random people called her and she'd disappear. She was a big sister to a girl who got raped at a party. "You know I named her. We were in Italy when she was born and there was this TV-show I loved called Michaela Indaga, Michele Investigates. My mom couldn't think of a name for her. She didn't look like an Isabella; she said she looked more exotic. I was 13, and Michaela was the first thing that came to mind. My mom loved the name and decided to call her that." He had a thought, he knew just about all of her secrets. It was only fair that she knew some of his. He pulled out a pen and a piece of paper and started writing. He wrote about his problem with Dilaudid and how he quit. He wrote about his mom, though she knew about her schizophrenia, she didn't know everything. He wrote about Tobias Hankel, not in detail because he couldn't, and how he felt guilty for the boy that was killed in front of him. He wrote about Adam and Amanda in as much detail as he was allowed. He wrote about Gideon leaving and losing Elle and how she'd hurt him. He wrote about his father and high school. He wrote about being bullied, and finally told her about the girl who got him to get the tattoo on his ankle, the one he lost his virginity to in college. By the time they landed he'd written her a 6 page letter. He tucked it into his messenger bag and got off the plane. It took him 40 minutes after he left Emily to drive to the address Aubrey had given him. It was a ranch called Hannah's Heart. He pulled up to the house; it was huge but managed to look like a bungalow. It was a sandy color with columns in the front. He felt ridiculously small walking up to knock on the door. There were two large blue and white doors looming in front of him as he rubbed the ring in his pocket again. Before he could knock again it swung open. There was an older man facing him. He had a head full of thick salt and pepper hair, more salt around the edges. He was tan, very tan but not in a fake way, his blue button down shirt and white pants brought out his sun drenched skin.

"You must be Spencer. Ella isn't here. If you are here, that means Aubrey told you everything." Spencer nodded and the man rubbed his graying beard. He had warm, concerned grey eyes that seemed to see straight through him.

"I screwed up; I'm pretty good at that every now and then. I didn't know or understand. If she'd told me…I could have… I don't know. I could have been better." Reid realized he was telling this man his life story without knowing his name. "I'm sorry; I didn't catch your name."

"Oh, sorry, I'm Peyton VanHolt." Reid's mind made a connection between one of the manuscripts on Ella's coffee table about a girl who was raped and beaten becoming a crime fighting vigilante. He wanted to smack himself in the forehead. She'd given him breadcrumbs and he'd been blind.

"I'm an idiot." He said again.

"She told me you were a genius but I'm afraid I have to agree with your assessment. She's protective of her past and the results of it. Some of it affected her more than others parts. She won't stop fighting though. Did Aubrey tell you I found her, after?" Reid shook his head as they walked off behind the house. "She ran out into the street for help. She was bleeding and battered and shouldn't have been walking. I swerved to miss her and hit a telephone pole. I got out the car ready to be pissed and she was lying in the street crying. I went to her and it broke my heart. I haven't left her side since. She moves around but she always comes back. My kids love her. My son wants to move to the other side of the country with her. I'm pretty sure Honor, my daughter, won't be far behind."

"Why didn't she just talk to me?"

"You ever had something in your past that you didn't want to rule the rest of your life? To everyone you've ever told it's huge. But somehow you managed to grow up and grow out of it?"

"Yes, I have."

"Well that's what it's like for her. She went through something terrible but she flat out refused to let it rule her life. She fought tooth and nail to be taken seriously. And she's not going to give that up. I want to like you Spencer because I know for a fact that she loves you. But if she ever comes to me crying because of something you've done again I will find it impossible." The warm welcoming voice of Peyton VanHolt took on a very hard menacing edge. Reid just nodded.

"I want to marry her." He couldn't believe he'd said it out loud. "I didn't know I did until I was walking past a jewelry store and there it was. Two point six carat round cut canary diamond engagement ring, and I just handed over my credit card. I will be paying it off for a while but it was perfect."

"She'll love it, she loves yellow diamonds." A voice said from behind Reid. He turned around to find a very pretty teenage girl in a blue spaghetti strap dress covered in what looked like roses. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders in thick waves and she had her father's eyes. He recognized her from a picture in Ella's gallery showing. She was suspended in mid air with a look of complete and utter happiness. Ella managed to catch her in mid air jumping into a lake. "I'm Honor and you are cute."

"Honor." Her father called in warning.

"She's not here. She had a photo shoot. You might not recognize her when you see here she changed her hair. It's sort of a warm brown with honey blonde and copper highlights. It looks red if the light hits it just right. It took us a while to pick out her hair color and the layered cut. She's got that Shailene Woodley, Danielle Panabaker thing going on. She looks pretty damn hot if you ask me." He had no idea who those people were. She handed him a piece of paper and looked at him expectantly. He nodded waiting for his feet to move but he was suddenly nervous. "Don't make me push you Dr. Reid."

* * *

He didn't know what to expect as he drove to the address on the piece of paper. His heart was pounding in his chest. There were butterflies the size of pterodactyls zipping around in his stomach and they were making him nauseous. He pulled up to a normal brick building and watched the people mill around outside. Reid knew this was what he wanted but that didn't stop him from being terrified. What if she didn't want him anymore? What if Aubrey told her what Morgan and Garcia had done for him and she hated him? He couldn't live with that. He pulled the tiny blue velvet box out of his messenger bag and rolled it around in his long fingers. He opened it and looked at the ring hoping it would steel his resolve. It took him a few minutes but he finally got out and walked to the door. Once inside he walked up to the desk next to the door and waited for someone to notice him. There was a scantily clad woman wearing a name tag looking unbelievably bored while talking on the phone. He asked her where to find Ella Prentiss and mentioned the photo shoot she was doing. She took one look at his gun and told him where to go. His palms were sweaty, he felt like a teenager again walking down the hallway to the room they were using. He took note of the pale yellow walls and the boring grey carpet. All the doors on the hall were white and stark against the dull colors. The room itself was something completely different. He leaned against the wall next to the door searching the room for the woman he came to see. And then he saw her and the air left his body. She was wearing a white spaghetti strap dress that bared her shoulders and part of her back. Reid smiled thinking about the day they'd gone shopping. She'd found it hilarious that he wanted to go with her to the mall. She'd spent the day explaining necklines and fabrics to him simply because she knew he'd never forget. If Morgan knew that he easily recognized not only the sweetheart neckline of her dress but the lace eyelet material, he'd never be able to live it down. The dress stopped just above her knees and flared out from the blue ribbon around her waist. Her hair was still long, before she'd cut it the tips were quickly approaching her waist, now it fell in thick shining waves a couple of inches past her shoulders. It was a rich shade of brown with tones of red and blonde. Now what Honor said made sense. Her bangs swept across her forehead from right to left brushing over her right eye till she pushed it away. She was bare foot and bent over her laptop on the phone. Her hips were moving to the beat of the music while everyone else went about breaking things down.

"You must be Dr. Reid," a deep voice said from behind him. He turned to find two men standing with their arms folded menacingly. One he recognized as Tate, he looked just like his father. His eyes were the same piercing grey as his father's. The other was shorter, Tate was taller than Reid, and he had dark curly hair pulled back into a ponytail and eyes bordering on midnight blue. His shoulders were just as broad but he wasn't as muscular as Tate and he was also older. He had a badge and a phone on one hip and a 9mm on the other. "Honor told us you were coming. I'm Det. Juan Vasquez; I'm Ella's…friend."

"You're her sponsor?" He shook his head.

"I am what I said I am, her friend." His voice took on an edge that was slightly more menacing. Something told Reid that neither of the men in front of him liked him very much. He couldn't blame them. They cared about Ella and he'd hurt her. He turned to look at her and smiled to himself. She was even more beautiful than before.

"She's perfect," he whispered to himself as he watched her. She gathered her hair and pulled over her right shoulder while she was talking to a woman with hair as dark as hers used to be. She reached down under the table and pulled out a blue and pink pair of strappy platform sandals. He could see the tattoo on her ankle, a purple lotus with Chinese characters for beauty, survivor, and wisdom; as she pulled the heels on. She took a few steps to stabilize before closing her laptop and stuffing it in her bag.

"Nice to know I'm not the only one who thinks so." Tate responded. Reid barely realized he'd said it out loud. "Now go get her. Oh, and if you break her heart again I'll break your legs first and work my way up." Reid nodded meeting the boy's…man's eyes. Then he turned, took a deep breath, and walked toward his girl.


	10. I Will

**A/N: Hello again my lovelies. I'm sorry for the delay. I'm in the process of writing the next chapter but with the death of my beloved blackberry it might take a little longer than the others. I won't have a new one for maybe a week so I'll work on the next chapter between homework, assignments, and classes. As always I don't own a damn thing. I will is a song by MoZella. As always I hope you enjoy. The quote is from a poem that MGG actually reads on his website. I thought I'd throw it in here. Reviews are love...**

_"But our love it was stronger by far than the love of those who were older than we, of many far wiser than we. And neither the angels in heaven above, nor the demons down under the sea, can ever dissever my soul from the soul of the beautiful Annabel Lee."_

_~Edgar Allen Poe (Annabel Lee)_

Ella felt like crap. That was a nice way to put it. She felt like shit. That was an honest way to put it. She missed him already and it had been maybe a week since they broke up. She couldn't help feeling like she should have told him the truth. That asshole shouldn't affect her life anymore, she'd grown up and if anything it made her one tough cookie.

She had never loved a man the way she loved Dr. Spencer Reid. He was beautiful and for some odd reason no one had ever told him that. She didn't want him to see her like a victim; she never wanted to see pity when he looked at her. She loved the way he looked at her. There was always so much love in his eyes. He loved her that she knew. She never doubted his love. She just wanted to keep the sad shit in her life away from him. She meant what she'd told him at the charity dinner. She wanted him to know who she is, not who she was. She made mistakes, she knew that. She was nowhere near perfect. She never lied and said she was.

Her heart hurt all the time, there was this dull ache in her chest that never went away. She'd find herself rubbing her chest absently whenever she thought about him. She'd chosen the music for the photo shoot; she didn't want to listen to anything that would make it hard to do her job. She'd cried herself to sleep the night before, got drunk and cried. Spencer had been the only thing that kept her from falling apart after the letters started coming. Now he was gone, he didn't want her anymore. That hurt like nothing she'd ever felt. She cried for what felt like two whole days in her room at Peyton's. It took everything she had not to wallow, it hurt like hell but she refused to stay down.

Ten months, that's all it took. She knew people who were in relationship for five years and they still weren't sure. There was this dull throbbing ache in her chest all because she couldn't let him in all the way. As she packed up her stuff she found herself humming the song that was playing the first time he told her he loved her. She promised herself she would never be this girl. She didn't want her whole life to be based on the actions of a man but that's what it felt like. As much as she hated to admit it the idea of being alone brought tears to her eyes every time.

Now she had Tate and Juan following her around because they were worried about her. She was too quiet for them. It didn't help that she'd disappeared after about thirty minutes in her room with Honor. She needed to fix something or change something. She couldn't make him forgive her; she couldn't force him to want her. So instead she tried to change how she felt. Even after the massage, the manicure, the pedicure, the cut and color, and the shopping trip she was still ridiculously sad.

She rolled her eyes at herself as she pulled her shoes back on and put her stuff in her bag. She turned around and there he was. He was moving towards her and she was so scared to move. She didn't want him to change his mind and run the other way. Ella's heart pounded in her chest like it was trying to escape. Her body overrode her mind moving on it's on. When she was close enough she reached for his tie and pulled him to her body. His mouth found hers, one of his hands pulled her body to his and the other made its way to her hair. She could feel the tears on her face as he kissed her senseless. Her arms went around on his neck as she pressed as much of her body to his as she could. Her fingers found his hair and scalp holding on tight. She opened her mouth to him letting him go where ever he wanted to go. When he pulled away she was dizzy and breathless but she didn't care. She hugged him as tight as she could.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." She kept whispering that in his ear. He wrapped his arms tight around her body burying his face in her hair. "You were right, you deserve to know everything. I didn't want you to see me like you see your victims. I didn't want you to look at me and think about what was done to me. I'm sorry I kept it from you. I'm so sorry." Ella held on to him for dear life.

"I understand why you didn't tell me. I'm so sorry, Tesoro."

"I love you so much. Please, don't tell me you don't want me." He pulled back and put his hands on her face brushing her tears away with his thumb. His mouth found hers and he kissed her like he was trying to prove a point. It was slow and wet and a little sloppy but she didn't care. She loved him with everything she had. As long as he was there she wouldn't let him go. It took her a few minutes to calm down but he held her while she did. He pressed a kiss against her lips that was meant to be chaste but it didn't happen that way. His arms wrapped around her pulling her flush against his chest. She opened her mouth and he sunk into her mouth as she melted against his body. "I'll tell you everything, but I'm guessing Aubrey already told you the worst of it." She whispered after he'd pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers.

"She told me some, Garcia found out the rest. I'm sorry that he hurt you, I'm sorry you had to go through that. If I ever get my hands on him…" she kissed him before he could finish.

"You're a lover, Carissimo, not a fighter. I'm okay, I'm better than okay when I'm with you." He reached in his bag without fully letting go of her. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to her.

"I know so much, and I know there is more. You can tell me when you're ready. This is everything I can tell you. I'll tell you more when I can." She took the envelope and looked up at him. "I know you need to pace so you can think. Go ahead, I'm not going anywhere." She gave him another kiss before she pulled away and read the letter. Her heart broke when she read some of it, especially about him getting kidnapped and tortured. She wanted to hug him and tell him she was never going to leave him. She couldn't believe the amount of people that had walked away from him; from the girl he lost his virginity to, to the coworker that took advantage of him. If she ever met Elle Greenaway, she'd punch her. She'd used Spencer, screwed him and then screwed him over. He'd lost his father and a father figure. She read about his addiction and how it was forced on him but he fought it. He has cravings but he hasn't relapsed. He got shot and they put him on morphine without really asking before he told them to give him non-narcotic pain killers, so for that reason he counts from that day. After she read it all she pulled him back to her body and kissed him like her life depended on it.

"I love you, do you hear me? I love you. You are the most amazing man I've ever met. You didn't deserve what those people did to you but I'm not going anywhere. You are beautiful, and brilliant, and strong. There is no one like you in the world, and I'll be damned if I let anyone else hurt you like that." She wasn't finished speaking but he kissed her and kissed her hard. He buried his fingers in her hair when she opened her mouth and let him in.

"Marry me?" He asked breathlessly.

"Yes." There wasn't much else she needed to say. He pulled a blue velvet box out of his bag and handed it to her.

"I wanted to do this differently; it's supposed to be special. I was going to plan all this stuff and get down on one knee…" she cut him off pressing her lips to his feverishly.

"You must have missed my answer." She took out the ring and handed it to him so he could put it on her finger. She was looking him in the eyes, not at the ring. He grabbed it but before he slid it on her finger he showed it to her. It was beautiful and perfect. It shouldn't have surprised her that he remembered how much she loved canary diamonds. There was an inscription inside. _Mio bel cielo, mio Tesoro_ which meant my beautiful sky, my sweetheart. He slid the ring on her finger and she kissed him again. "We have a lot we need to talk about."

"I know, dinner?" she smiled and nodded. He picked up her bag for her and she let him. Normally she would fuss about being perfectly capable of carrying her own bag. He grabbed her hand and she smiled at him. There were tears in her eyes and she cursed herself for being such a girl. She stopped and pulled him to her body kissing him again. Suddenly his hands were everywhere at once and it was hard for her to think. Her back met the wall in the hallway and she really didn't care. It just turned her on more. He pulled away to breathe and she trailed kisses from his chin to his collar bone. He gasped pressing her harder into the wall before capturing her lips again. His fingers slipped up her dress and just under the lace on her panties. She didn't even care that they were in a hallway and his hand was up her dress. Someone whistled in the hallway making Spencer pull away. His hands landed on either side of her head as she pressed herself to the wall instead of him. His eyes were on her, they were cloudy and pupil blown.

"It's hard to breathe when you look at me that way." Ella whispered softly.

"Did I mention that you look unbelievably hot?" He whispered pressing his face against hers. She chuckled trying to keep her hands off of him. He leaned back and looked at her pressing his hand to her cheek. His eyes changed as if there was something that had just occurred to him. His hands held her face tenderly making her look him in his eyes. She searched them feeling the urge to wipe every ounce of sadness in them away. "No matter what I say, no matter how I act, don't… just don't leave me." His thumb brushed her cheek. His voice took on a vulnerable edge that brought a sad smile to her face.

"I already told you I'm not going anywhere. But you have to promise not to ask me to leave again. I know I'm not easy to love but I need you to keep trying. If you would have left her apartment thirty minutes after…you would have found me sobbing on the steps. I love you and I need you to love me even when I make it hard."

"I guess we have a lot of talking to do."

It was hilarious to say the least. Ella couldn't help the chuckle in her head. They had to have this conversation, it was important, but it was sad that they had to have it on opposite sides of the room. They were on opposite sides of Spencer's hotel room because when they got too close talking went out the window. It was sad, but at least they knew that still worked right. They had fought, kept huge secrets, but somehow never actually lied. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Ella admitted that she was lying to him as well as herself when she said she was fine. The letters had shaken her and she thought Spencer would be like every other guy she had been with. She felt stupid for that now; she'd never met a guy like him. She'd eaten all her steak and he'd demolished a bacon cheeseburger. Spencer was on the bed leaning up against the headboard while Ella was sitting Indian style on the dresser finishing her second beer. She was leaning back against the wall playing with her dress to keep from thinking about what she really wanted. They needed to talk; she had to keep reminding herself that it was important.

"So there is one thing I don't know. What happened between you and Emily?"

"When Iles and I were about 13, Em was seeing this guy. He gave me the creeps but Iles thought he was cool. He treated her like she was an adult, which probably should have told us something about him wasn't right. I wasn't there the first time he tried to force himself on Iles but I know he almost got caught by one of the maids. Iles told me a few hours later and I was pissed. My twin sister was in tears and she was scared. I told her she needed to tell mom or at least Em but he threatened her. Well technically he threatened me; he told her he would move on to me if she told anyone. I caught him the second time. I walked in and Iles was in the corner of her bed against the wall and he was moving closer to her. I beat him with his own Lacrosse stick. He told Em I was crazy and I hurt him for trying to comfort my crying sister. Iles didn't speak for a while and she wouldn't talk about it to anyone but me. My mom was pissed so she set up to send me to boarding school when Iles told her that if I went she went. My mom decided she could live with that and kicked us both out."

"Wow,"

"And you wondered why my mom and I aren't close? She still thinks of me as the unbelievably honest kid I used to be. Everyone else was always so comfortable with pretending the bad stuff didn't happen. It was easier to sweep it under the rug, I didn't do that well. I still don't, honestly, there was just something bigger than my desire to rip band-aids off. Speaking of that concept, I owe you a huge apology. I should have never hit you."

"All things considered, it makes perfect sense. Even before I knew, I'd seen how you reacted to people grabbing you. I wasn't thinking when I grabbed you. Knowing what I know now it makes perfect sense. I'm sorry I did it. I'm ashamed actually."

"I understand; if I was normal it would have just pissed me off."

"You are normal." She shook her head and climbed out off of the dresser. She was tired of being so far away. She couldn't touch him where she was. She climbed on to the bed and sat next to him reaching for his hand. She locked her fingers with his and met his eyes.

"You were right; you deserved to know where I was going all the time. Sometimes it was just out to breathe when I worked myself up into a bundle of nerves. Before the letters started showing up I was fine but not so much after. Others, it was to go to a meeting. Sometimes it was NA and others it was a group for rape survivors. That's how I met Sydney. She's adorable, petite, blonde, and smart as a whip. She reminded me of Honor when I first met her. She had just enrolled in AU when she was drugged and raped at a party. After she told her story I offered to be there for her and gave her my number. It took her a while to call me but when she did she was in the park crying. I know I changed after the letters started and I'm sorry for that. I was freaking out but I didn't want you to see this. I just wanted you to see the good side of me. I didn't realize how unfair that was."

"I'm sorry I accused you of cheating on me. I know you wouldn't do that, nothing you've done should have made me think that."

"That's not true; I disappeared when my phone rang. I hid stuff and never told you where I was going, I didn't tell you about Connor or why I was with him. I can see how you got to that conclusion. After I was raped I was pretty beat up. I was going to go home and hide out. Peyton wouldn't let me. At the time I didn't know he had kids. I found out when he took me to his house. Honor was 10 and Connor was 13. I thought they would be afraid of me, I was black and blue. Connor was protective and Honor insisted that I was pretty and wanted to do my hair all the time. I fell in love with those two because they were so pure and honest. It was new; I didn't grow up around kids like that. I grew up in the land of trust funds and nose jobs and trips to tropical places during the holidays. Hannah's heart, the ranch, is named after Peyton's wife. She died of cancer when Honor was three. I always say they saved me from myself but I think we saved each other. Connor is like the little brother I never had, I should have just told you. He wanted to meet you because Honor had been so excited that I had a boyfriend. I hadn't had one in a while. I know Em probably told you I used to be kind of slutty, that's not altogether true. I used to be more free with who I let in though. Now getting in my pants and my heart is a lot easier to get into then my head. I stopped caring what everyone thought of me and decided to be who I wanted to be. I'm sorry I made you work so hard, there are attack dogs and electric fences around that part of my life because every guy who knew ran away. By the time I fell for you I knew I wouldn't be the same if you left too. I couldn't let him change me completely. There were parts of me that I liked, I was fun and wild and carefree. I was a free spirit, and it was hard to get any of that back. I'm not the wild child I used to be but I'm no angel either. I think that's where I want to be."

"You are all of those things; you terrified me when I first met you." She sat in front of him on the bed looking at him in disbelief. Reid pushed his plate away and pulled her into his lap and kissed her softly.

"There is absolutely nothing scary about me."

"Actually, your right hook is quite ferocious. There are a few people from high school I would like to sic you on to be honest." She frowned at him and he smiled. "You were this force of nature, still are, you scared me because I'd never met a girl like you."

"You think I wasn't terrified of you?" He gave her a look that clearly said he didn't believe her. "I've dated some ass holes in my life but you aren't like that. I know how to handle those guys. After I met you the first time I couldn't stop myself from asking Em about you. She just kept giving me this knowing look and told me I wasn't the only woman obsessed with you. She mentioned something about hookers and nurses. Apparently when you got shot, you were like cat nip for nurses. She said the same thing happened when you had some sort of respiratory problem she wasn't allowed to disclose. Your nurses were swooning in the hallway after they were in your room."

"So why were you afraid of me?" he asked trying to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks. Ella laughed softly and he frowned at her till she raised her hands in surrender.

"You really don't know how amazing you are. There was no preparation for you. I just knew I wanted you. You were too good and too different to not try. When I tell you you're beautiful I'm not just saying it for the fun of it. I mean it." He leaned forward and kissed her. It was soft but possessive like he needed to remind her that she was his. Spencer's hand slipped into her hair as she opened her mouth for him. He fused their mouths together pulling her body flush against his. Ella's arms wound around his neck and her fingers got lost in his chocolate locks. He sat up deepening the kiss even more pulling her hips against his. Ella pulled away breathless meeting the eyes of the man in her arms. He pushed her hair behind her ear brushing his lips over her cheek and below her ear. Ella raised her head to give him better access to her neck holding on to him tight. She was scared to let him go. She didn't want him to disappear, she was afraid he wasn't really there. He spilled her back onto the bed gently knocking things on the floor as he went. It was amazing how fast clothes can disappear in the midst of desperate need. Everything he did was so soft and tender, removing her dress dragging his fingers over skin as he did. Her body was on fire before she knew what was happening. He kissed her all over sometimes just brushing his cheek against her like he was marking her with his scent. Spencer held her body to his like she would float away without him as an anchor. She didn't understand how he could be so calm, she was frantic. He'd had to grab her hands more than once because she was shaking so hard trying to get his clothes off. Every time he would just kiss her until she was laid out beneath him again holding on for dear life. There was something very different about this moment, his body filling hers like never before. Her hands roamed the bare skin of his back like it was new territory riding a wave so intense she wasn't sure she could handle it when it was over. His muscles bunched and grew taut under her fingers as he moved inside her. At some point she had closed her eyes lost to the sensations around her and inside her. She hadn't even noticed she had done it until he asked her to open her eyes.

"Michaela, look at me." He commanded softly. He used her full name and that caught her off guard. His voice was breathy and strained. She opened her eyes and met his big brown ones as her finger wove into his hair. There was so much love in his eyes she could barely breathe. That was all it took for her to fall apart. The orgasm tore through her like a freight train bowing her spine and forcing her to cry out for him. Spencer cried out for her burying his face in her neck as he fell with her into the most peaceful oblivion she'd ever felt. She pushed his damp hair away from his face and pulled his mouth up to hers. The kiss was lazy and slow and passionate.

"I can't wait to marry you." She whispered softly after she pulled away. He brushed her bangs away from her face and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I'm just happy you said yes. I can't wait to marry you too." He rolled over pulling her with him wrapping his arms around her. She felt safe, maybe safer than she'd felt in a long time. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart pound against her cheek. She raised her hand and looked at the ring on her finger a slow smile spreading across her face. Lyrics popped in her head. _I wait for you.__I'm mesmerized this love is like a potion in disguise. __I'd tightrope walk with a blindfold on my eyes. __I can't escape, or so it seems. __I'd run away, he's in my dreams. __He possesses an enchantment._

She couldn't help thinking about how lucky she was that he was all hers.

**A/N: The lyrics are from a song called Enchantment by Corrine Bailey Rae.**


	11. I'm in Love With a Girl

**Hello my lovelies. I'm so sorry for the long wait. I have a new blackberry now and that made it so much easier to write this chapter. I figure we needed a little family time with our lovely couple. This time it's not exactly drama free but no one gets hit. I hope you like it. Remember, reviews are love. I don't own Criminal Minds but I would love to borrow MGG for a while. Hehehe, dirty thoughts...The name of this chapter is a song by Gavin DeGraw. I used to play that song and dance around in my underwear. I think you should listen to it while you read this chapter.**

_"The woman who appeals to a man's vanity may stimulate him, the woman who appeals to his heart may attract him, but it is the woman who appeals to his imagination who gets him."_

_ ~ Helen Rowland_

Reid couldn't be happier, not only had Ella said yes but his mother loved her. Ella was amazing, when his mother slipped into one of her episodes talking about giving a lecture on the Knights of the Round Table, she didn't miss a beat. She apologized for not having read all of the literature and let herself be lectured for it. When Diana gave the lecture Ella looked interested and asked questions until she came out of it. Then his mother turned to him and told him he found a good one. He was almost sure she faked the episode just to see how his fiancé would handle it. Ella didn't get angry or stutter she just responded. He couldn't for the very life of him figure out why he'd wanted to let go. He felt stupid; she told him nothing was wrong. She'd meant nothing was wrong with them. He'd been unsure of what he was going to say now that he knew her secret. But when he saw her he just wanted to fix it and make sure she never left him again. Now she was pretty much dragging her feet behind him. She had been excited to meet his mother, practically bouncing around. Now he was pretty sure his mother was going to want to see her whenever he came to visit.

Ella was dragging her feet because they were having lunch with Emily. She was worried her sister was still going to treat her like the family screw up. Reid kept trying to reassure her but she wasn't listening to him. She'd changed clothes four times finally settling on a blue tank top that was completely lace and see thru in the back that sort of hung around her body showing off her figure without trying, and a dark pair of seriously distressed jeans he was almost sure he was going to peel off of her later. It had been interesting her wiggle her way into them while whining about how much she didn't want to go. She then spent twenty more minutes trying to find shoes before he picked up a pair of safer death traps and shoved them at her. She'd then made fun of him because the yellow strappy espadrilles matched perfectly. She got some sort of sick enjoyment out of making him remember things that would have got his ass kicked worse if he knew them in high school.

"Spencer, can't we just go back to the room. I promise we'll have lots and lots of sex." He couldn't help but smile as he pulled her along.

"We can do that later, she really wants to see you." She stopped forcing him to stop. He turned to look at her and realized for the first time that she really was scared. This situation freaked her out and she was done trying to hide it. He reached out and ran his fingers through her long thick waves. He loved the way her eyes always fluttered shut and soft sighs always slipped out of her lips whenever he did it. It was nice to know there was something he did that affected her that way.

"If she wants to call me irresponsible can't she do that on the phone?" Reid pulled his fiancé to his body and kissed her.

"That's not what she wants. I promise."

"Please, don't make me do this." She said so softly that he barely heard her. "I'm having enough trouble dealing with the fact that you saw me that way. I don't think I can face her too." Reid put his finger under her chin and brought her face up. Everything she was feeling was right there in her eyes.

"I can't make you do this but I can promise you one thing. Emily feels guilty, she just wants the chance to see you the way everyone else does. I love you and so does she. She doesn't know you like I do. Give this a chance." He brushed his lips over hers softly and pulled her into a hug. She slid her arms under his arms molding her body to his and burying her face in his neck. He kissed her hair and pulled her forward with his arm still around her holding her close. They walked into the restaurant without letting go. It wasn't until they were seated that she finally calmed down some. She was still holding on to his hand for dear life her ring digging into his fingers. Somehow he didn't mind the last part, it actually made him smile.

"What are you grinning at, doc?" Reid looked over at her and raised their hands onto the table. She looked down her forehead wrinkling in confusion.

"Your ring was digging into my fingers." He was still smiling and she was still frowning.

"I don't get it, love. Either you've gone completely bat shit on me or your into S&M. In that case you're a kinky bastard but I'll try anything once." Reid blushed furiously rolling his eyes at her. Where was Emily when he needed her? "I always knew you were a naughty boy."

"You sister said that to me once." He knew he shouldn't have said it but the words came out before he could think about it too much.

"Really, aren't you a dirty boy. Banging sisters, that's so gross by the way."

"That's not what I meant. I lied to Hotch and told him I was cleared to fly after I got shot in the leg. He found out and said it in front everyone. Emily found out I lied and called me a naughty boy. I said it was simply a second opinion because I'm a doctor." He didn't miss Ella's eye roll. "That was shortly before Garcia told me I was her bitch for the case." That part made her laugh hard.

"What's so funny?" Emily said smiling down at them. Reid didn't miss the way Ella's hand tightened in his. He brushed his thumb over her hand to soothe her as she sobered quickly.

"I was telling her about lying to Hotch about being cleared to fly." Emily nodded sitting down across from the pair. She looked at her sister and her eyes looked glassy with unshed tears. Ella took a deep breath next to him and it was like telepathic communication.

"I owe you the world's biggest apology." Emily said giving her a look Reid knew well. It was the one she gave him after she took a beating for him from Cyrus. Ella was breaking his hand she was holding on so tight. He didn't have the heart to ask her to let go or loosen up because he understood. She'd had to calm him down before they went in to see his mother.

"It's okay, you needed a bad guy." Emily shook her head and reached for her little sister across the table. Ella gave Emily her other hand without letting go of Reid.

"It's not okay. I'm your big sister. It's supposed to be my job to protect you and I didn't. I wish you would have called me El. I could have helped you."

"I did call you, Em. I just didn't tell you why. I told you it was because I missed you, which was true. I was going through hell and I wanted my big sister. Just like you think it's your job to protect me, it's my job to protect Isles. And that's what I did all those years ago." Reid could tell from the way her voice sounded that she was fighting for assertiveness. She was also cutting off the circulation of blood to his right hand. He put their hands back under the table and used his other hand to pry her fingers off of his. Her eyes snapped to him when he did and she looked terrified.

"I'm not going anywhere but I need that hand. You don't get it; I'm never leaving your side again. So stop worrying." She smirked at him and it was one of those mischievous smiles she's so famous for.

"That might make peeing a little more interesting." He rolled his eyes at her and she laughed. Her fingers ran over the hair on his chin before she grabbed his hand again. "You look hot like that. You always look good to me but the _I'm too bad ass to shave _look and the Jesse McCartney hair look works for you, Dolce." He turned back to Emily and found her smiling at them.

"Dolce?" He immediately blushed and gave Ella a look that said she was never supposed to call him that in public. She didn't blush though, she was too busy laughing.

"I'm sorry; I told you we should have stayed in the hotel room a little while longer." He kept looking at her until she threw up her hands in surrender. "I get it, I'm in trouble. You get to spank me later." He blushed his eyes flying to Emily who was laughing so hard her eyes were watering. He gave Ella a pleading look and she threw up her hands again. "Ok, Doc, I'll behave."

"Do I get to know why you call him Dolce?" Ella smiled and Reid choked on his water.

"I'm not allowed to tell you because it's unbelievably dirty. I can tell you that I started off calling him Folg-." Reid grabbed his fiancé's mouth before she could finish her sentence. She of course licked his hand making him let go. He was already to make up something when he realized Emily's eyes had fallen on something else. Ella's hand was around his wrist and it wasn't until then that he realized that her ring was showing and Emily didn't know he had it.

"Is that what I think it is?" Ella turned to look at him and he wasn't sure why. Emily's question was directed at both of them.

"Yes, I asked her yesterday. She said yes." Emily reached for her hand and Ella gave it to her.

"Why does it sound like you didn't think I would say yes?" She asked as Emily examined the ring on her hand.

"I thought you would be angry with me for how I found out. I thought you wouldn't even want to talk to me." He said softly looking at Emily and not her.

"You know for a genius you can be really dumb sometimes. Carissimo, I love you. That's not gonna change."

"Jesus! This thing is huge! It had to be at least 10 grand." Reid flinched because he knew what was going to happen as soon as Ella heard-

"You paid what?" She asked rather loudly in the very crowded restaurant.

"It was more like eight and a half. It's not a big deal. I didn't really have time to think about it. It was perfect and I knew you would love it."

"I do but you didn't have to spend-"

"I would have spent more if it cost more. You never let me buy you anything. You're always so price conscious when I'm paying."

"That's only because I know where your money goes, baby. It's not like you'll let me pay for that."

"It's not your problem, it's mine."

"Not any more, this expensive piece of jewelry here says otherwise."

"When you have my last name you can worry about that. Until then you have to let me spoil you."

"I'm not the 'let my boyfriend spoil me' type. You know that."

"Good thing I'm not just your boyfriend anymore. That expensive piece of jewelry you were just fussing about says otherwise." He replied grinning at her as she frowned at him.

"You know what, you're lucky you're hot, doctor." He kissed her cheek and she rolled her eyes. The whole time they were having their mini argument Emily had Ella's hand. "Are you checking the clarity or something there, Em?" Emily looked up and there were tears in her eyes.

"My little sister's getting married." She said softly before a smile spread across her face.

"Yeah, I am." Ella replied smiling at Reid.

"Mom is gonna faint!" Ella rolled her eyes and snatched her hand away from her sister. The rest of lunch was spent talking about the way he proposed and when they were getting married.

"Why did I let you talk me into this? Why is it that I always let you talk me into stuff I don't want to do?" Reid whined dragging his feet behind his suddenly determined fiancé. The tables had turned completely in a few hours. He'd been more than happy to drag Ella to see Emily. He knew it wasn't going to be bad, maybe a little uncomfortable, but not bad. This was something different entirely. This was going to be terrible and she was pretty much making him go. And he really didn't want to. That's why he was acting like a surly teenager.

"Because I'm pretty and I have a vagina I let you touch on a regular basis." Ella responded sweetly and Reid snorted. "Spencer, my love, you may be skinny but you are by no means light. If I tire myself out dragging you to this dinner you are not getting any tonight."

"I'm surprised I still have fluid in my body as is." Ella laughed out loud. He stopped dragging his feet despite his comment.

"I could stop you know, there is absolutely nothing wrong with me taking care of myself if you don't want to participate. And I love how you make it sounds like I'm the insatiable one between us. You, Carissimo, are a horny bastard and you know it."

"I wasn't saying I want to stop. I was just saying that I needed a sandwich or something first, although the idea of you taking care of yourself makes it unbelievably hard to concentrate on anything else."

"All the more reason to replenish ourselves, and there is no reason we can't do that with your father and his girlfriend."

"I can think of a few reasons."

"Okay, I'll rephrase. There is no good reason we can't do that with your father and his girlfriend." Reid stopped forcing Ella to stop or fall. She stopped and turned to face him her 50's style red dress fluttering around her. It was made of silk or something and Reid loved running his hands over it. It hugged her curves ridiculously well. She pulled the look off brilliantly with her new hair. Her bangs picked up the color of her dress making her face glow. He didn't realize he was grinning at her until she smiled back. "See something you like, doc?"

"Quite a bit actually," he said pulling her body to his and kissing her. She kissed him back eagerly her hands tangling in his hair as she pressed her body to his.

"Now will you stop bitching about this?" She said looking up at him. She nipped at his chin and neck until he groaned nearly forgetting where they were. She pulled back and took his hand before pulling him forward. He knew he was acting like a child but he really didn't want to go. He let go of her hand and put his arm around her pulling her close. Ella's arm went around his waist as he pressed a kiss to her hair. They walked up to the restaurant to find Reid's father whispering in a blonde woman's ear. She was maybe in her early forties, which made her significantly younger than his 50 something, father. She was slim and pretty with big brown eyes. Her blonde hair was long and pulled into an intricate up do. Reid had watched Ella twist her hair into a bun and stick maybe two pins in it. His father's girlfriend, Vivian, had done a lot more than that. She was wearing one of those long flowing dresses women tended to wear when it got hot. It was light blue and a halter top. She was holding on more for comfort than affection. The way he was holding Ella was more about affection because she was there with him. She was nervous but his father was trying to comfort her, the way Reid had comforted Ella before lunch. Ella squeezed his side forcing him to look down at her. Her look said he was caught.

"What?" He said trying to play innocent. Her responding look made him smile.

"Don't play dumb doctor; it's surprisingly ineffective with anyone who knows you. It's the least effective with anyone who has seen you naked. Stop profiling your father's girlfriend." She whispered the last part grinning devilishly.

"How did you know?"

"You had that squinty look I've seen on all of your faces. Even JJ does it."

"Spencer, look at you." His father said when he saw him. He immediately held on to Ella tighter and she just rubbed his back in response. He pressed another kiss to her hair before letting go to hug his father. William Reid looked exactly the same as he had the last time Reid saw him. The only difference he saw was that his father was a little greyer around the edges. Reid turned to find that Vivian had surprised his fiancé and pulled her into a tight hug. Ella was polite and hugged back until the woman let her go. She moved back to Reid's side only relaxing when his hand met her bare back. "And this must be Ella, you didn't say she was so beautiful." His father said taking her hand and kissing it. Ella blushed and leaned into Reid's side.

"So flattery runs in the family, nice to know." His father chuckled as Reid rolled his eyes. Ella caught it and squeezed his side again. "It's nice to meet you Mr. Reid."

"William, please, call me William." He said politely as he reached back and pulled Vivian forward. "This is Vivian. Viv, this is my son Spencer, the FBI agent. This is his gorgeous girlfriend Ella." Vivian pulled Reid into the same kind of hug she had forced on Ella and it wasn't all that comfortable. "Viv let the boy breathe."

"I'm sorry, I've just heard so much about you. It's nice to finally meet you." Reid did his best to smile but the situation was unbelievably awkward.

"So," Ella cut in squeezing his side again, "Am I the only one who's starving?" Vivian and William lead the way and Ella pulled Reid back before he could go in.

"What?"

"Don't what me, Spencer Reid. I know this is painfully awkward and I know that somewhere deep down inside that huge brain of yours you are pissed that he would even think of having a girlfriend after what he did to you and your mom." Reid was all set to protest but she put her hand up to show him she wasn't done. "I also know that you will regret acting like a child after this is over. Your father is sharing his life with you just like your sharing me with him. I know he's late and this is uncomfortable but this is a good thing. Vivian is nervous as hell and I'm not exactly calm about this little situation. You need to take this for what it is and accept it. Now put on your big boy boxers and let's get this over with." She moved to walk away and he pulled her to his body. She had just finished fussing at him but he was just happy she was with him. It took an amazing woman to love you and still tell you when you're being a jack ass.

"You know I love you right?" he asked before kissing her a little harder than was necessary.

"You damn well better. Now, let's go get to know your father's bear hugging girlfriend."


	12. Use Somebody

**A/N: I'm sorry again my lovelies but the end of the semester is not a time filled with idle moments. But because I love you all so much this will not be the only chapter up this weekend. I've got two more I'm putting the finishing touches on. Consider it my present to you. Use Somebody is a song by Kings of Leon. They are partially to blame for the complete dirtiness of most of this chapter. You can also blame Radiohead, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, and Bad Company. I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters; I just enjoy making them dance. Reviews are love...Enjoy!**

_"The Family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together."_

_~Erma Bombeck _

Reid woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. He opened his eyes and looked down at Ella sleeping on his chest. His heart clenched in his chest, calls on Saturday morning meant a case. Ella groaned as her hand slid up his chest. He couldn't help but smile seeing her ring glittering in the light. He couldn't wait to marry her. Reid woke up warm and content. It was maybe the first time in a long time he'd woke up that way. The reason was that he wasn't alone. There was a beautiful woman asleep with her head on his chest and her arm across her waist. Ella Prentiss was the woman of his dreams. To have her with him when he woke up was amazing. He took a deep breath and it came out a contented sigh. He heard Ella moan in her sleep as she shifted higher on his body. She buried her face in his neck her breath tickling his skin. He tried not to shiver when her lips brushed his neck but he failed miserably. He turned his head and pressed a kiss to her shoulder then her neck. He used the arm around her body to maneuver her on top of him letting his hand slide over the soft jersey tank top she wore to bed. His fingers drifted over her tiny cotton shorts and the raised tattoo on her lower back. Il cuore di un guerriero è eterna, that's what her tattoo said, it's Italian for _The heart of a warrior is eternal_. It wasn't until the first time he saw her naked that he saw the phoenix above the words. She sighed when his fingers trailed up her spine. He almost forgot about the phone ringing. Reid snatched up the phone answering with a grunt.

"Spence, I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you. I just need a huge favor." Reid let his hand slide into Ella's hair when her arm tightened around him.

"It's ok JJ, what do you need?" Ella sat up with a wink and climbed out of bed. Reid was staring and barely heard anything JJ said. It seemed to happen whenever his gorgeous girlfriend...wait, Fiancé would walk around in very little clothing reminding of him of what they'd done a few hours ago.

"Spence are you even listening to me?" He had to shake himself to focus.

"I'm sorry JJ, I got distracted."

"I was wondering if you could come over and watch Henry for me tonight?"

"Of course."

"Good, bring Ella. Henry hasn't stopped talking about her since the last time." Reid couldn't help but smile. Ella came out of the bathroom and Reid had to ignore the fact that he could see her nipples through her tank top. She climbed back in the bed and curled up against Reid sighing contentedly.

"I'm really happy Henry likes her." Ella looked up at him at the mention of her new tiny best friend.

"Likes her? He loves her. You got a good one Spence. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks JJ that means a lot." Ella moved so she was on top of him and buried her face in his neck. Her breasts rubbed against his chest and he had to fight back a groan. He bit down on her shoulder to keep the sound from coming out but that backfired on him. Her hips rolled against his making him bite down harder.

"Spencer," she whispered softly in warning. Her voice was breathy and husky. "Mmm, Carissimo you smell so good."

"Spencer once again you aren't listening." Reid had no idea how long JJ had been speaking to him. He hadn't heard a thing.

"I'm sorry JJ my mind is elsewhere." His voice wasn't supposed to sound as husky as it did.

"I'm sure." He could hear the smile in her voice. "Tell Ella I said hi and I'm sorry I woke the two of you up." Ella waved her hand upon hearing JJ say her name. "Well I'm gonna go because you two sound very…busy. I don't need you two till about 7, so have fun." With that she hung up without waiting for a response. Reid shrugged putting the phone down and burying his face in Ella's neck nipping and sucking.

"You really know how to wake a girl up." She whispered in his ear making him smile. Her voice was still husky and thick from sleep but he could hear the smile in her voice.

"My mornings are better when I wake up with you." She sat up and kissed him. It was long, slow, and lazy. Her legs fell open around his waist before she pulled away and sat up.

"You, sweet talker, will not flirt me into spending all day in this bed." She said smiling down at him. She looked beautiful with her hair wild and her eyes shining in the light. He could see the red undertones in her hair.

"Why not?" It sounded like he was pouting to his own ears and her smile told him he was.

"Pouting will not help either; I have something I need to do." She said before moving to get up. Instead he rolled over pinning her underneath him. She giggled until he started trailing kisses from her jaw down her neck. "Spencer Reid, you are not playing fair." She groaned as her fingers moved into his hair.

"Neither are you, you are impossible to resist." She moaned lifting her head to give him access to her throat as he spoke.

"Flattery just might get you where you wanna go." Things were starting to get interesting when her phone rang.

"Cruella Deville?"

"Yeah, she was an evil puppy killer. Elizabeth Prentiss doesn't kill puppies, just happiness, fun, and individuality."

"I'm almost afraid to ask what my ringtone is."He was still pressing kisses down her throat since she made no move to answer the phone. Five minutes later it rang again but it was a different song. _Go Grease Lightning your burning up the quarter mile (Grease Lightning, Go Grease Lightning)._"I can't ignore that one." She reached for the phone and tried to push Reid away. She managed to wiggle out from under him and turn so she was on her hands and knees. He gave her a playful swat on the ass as she answered the phone. The person on the other end had to hear it. "Hi honey, I'm getting up now." She said backing away from him holding her hand up to fend him off. "No, I told you it's no trouble. It would be more fun if I could get my fiancé to come too...are you sure? Is everything ok...? You would tell me if something were wrong right... I worry anyway... No, it's okay. We can go another day. This was your idea... I'll see what I can do but I know for a fact he already has one. Talking him into another one might prove difficult... No there are always ways. Alright, call me later." She hung up and there was a look he couldn't quite place. It wasn't disappointment; it was more like she sensed something.

"Is everything okay?" He asked after watching her stare off into space for a while. She finally looked at him and a mischievous smile made its way to her face.

"I need you to go somewhere with me. Tate wanted to go while he was in town. I think he got a little nervous."

"Ella Prentiss that smile makes me nervous. Where are we going?"

"I have an appointment to get tattoo number five." She jumped up before he could ask any questions and slipped into the bathroom. It was twenty minutes later when she came out in a cloud of steam, pomegranate body wash, and wild violet and pomegranate scented shampoo. He had yet to get her to put on clothes so he could concentrate on something other than his half naked girlfriend…fiancé in the morning. Three weeks since they got back and he'd been two minutes away from being late to work four different times. She tended to walk around in her underwear and today that consisted of a purple racer-back bra and purple lace topped multicolored leopard print panties. She was toweling off her hair when she walked past him smiling.

"You are trying to kill me aren't you?" she kept smiling and danced down the hall.

"You're the insatiable one Carissimo," he followed her down the hall to the iHome station. She turned on music and turned back to him. He couldn't see the way he was looking in her but from the way she smiled it must have been serious. "It's hard to breathe when you look at me that way. You are just that beautiful."

"I never had anyone call me beautiful before I met you." He said moving toward her. He felt like he was moving in slow motion. His fingers met her skin sliding into her hair before his mouth descended on hers.

"I don't think they really saw you then." She whispered softly when she pulled away. "I love you, so much."

"I love you too. I just want to spend the day making love to you." She smiled and ran her hands over his skin. Her touch made him shiver.

"You really know how to change a girls mind don't you?" Reid didn't answer; he scooped her up and carried her to the sofa. He sat down with her on his lap his mouth immediately finding her neck. She arched and moaned her fingers digging into his shoulder. Ella dragged his mouth up to hers and kissed him senseless before pulling away. Reid wanted to protest but she put her finger to his mouth before he could. "I have an idea, are you in?" she never told him the idea before she asked if he was in. He simply nodded and she took off. She came back with a blanket and laid it on the kitchen floor. Reid had every intention to ask questions until she took off her bra and wiggled out of her panties in front of him. She cast him a look over her shoulder before crawling down on the floor. He watched her open the refrigerator and pull stuff out before grabbing the honey on the counter. His body started moving without his minds permission. His underwear came off before he crawled down on the floor with her. She was sucking honey off of her finger when her eyes met his. He watched her put some on his shoulder but his eyes fluttered shirt when she sucked it off. Her fingers were sticky as she trailed them down his chest following it with her tongue. Reid's fingers tangled in her damp hair as his breathing got more and more labored. He picked up the chocolate syrup as he laid her back on the blanket. Just watching it fall on her skin was erotic. He couldn't figure out why he'd never thought to do this before. The moment his mouth touched her skin she arched and keened. He took his time slowly dragging his tongue over her clean lightly scented skin. Ella's music drifted over them as her scent and taste drifted over Reid. Her scent was rich and thick like roses but spicy and earthy like Indian incense. He could still smell the honey on her hands as they wrapped around her breasts. He trailed kisses up her body before pulling her hand away. He nipped at the soft skin on the underside of her breast eliciting a new sound from his fiancé. The music changed but the beat was still seductive. Ella's insistent hands moved into his hair dragging his mouth away from her skin up to her mouth. Her tongue swept in caressing his sensually before exploring the caverns of his mouth. Intense needy sounds spilled out from him only to be swallowed in the decadent kiss. Reid's hand slipped between their bodies coating her thigh with chocolate. Ella opened her legs wider for him as though he'd input some sort of code. He rubbed the tip of his cock against the slippery wet folds between her thighs coating it with her essence. A moan escaped her as he brushed her clit followed by a shudder. Another song with a slow, steady, seductive beat drifted over them as his tongue dove inside her mouth. Ella raised her hips to get him to go where she wanted him to go but he pulled back.

"Spencer please," she panted when he pulled away from her mouth in favor of scrapping his teeth against her throat. Her body arched under him pressing her breasts against his chest. "Stop teasing me." Her voice sounded thick and breathy, Reid trembled in response. He didn't miss the smile on her face as he pushed up to look down at her. She looked beautiful, her luxuriously full rich brown hair was splayed around her picking up any light it could find. Her eyes had grown dark and her gaze was lust laden. Her leg slid up his side of his hip as her fingers trailed over his chest and stomach. Reid couldn't help but shiver against the soft brush of her nails over his ass. Her eyes stayed on him as she pulled him into another hard passionate kiss. He was so focused on kissing her that he had to swallow a yelp when her warm hand wrapped around his cock. He pulled away from her lips and pressed his forehead to hers panting. "You know what I want don't you, Carissimo?" She purred softly.

"Oh God, yes." He sighed reaching for her hand to pull it away. He pushed it above her head and captured her mouth with his seeking to devour her the way she always devoured him. He found her opening and pressed just the tip inside her till his hand found her hip. A needy sound escaped her only to fall against his teasing tongue. Without warning he raised her hip and plunged inside her surging in as far as her body would allow. Ella pulled away from his mouth her head falling back and her eyes snapping shut. A sound so ragged escaped her that it sounded painful. It might have been his name but he wasn't sure. He loved the look of pure ecstasy coloring Ella's face. His pace was slow but felt amazing. He felt every inch of her with every thrust. Her leg moved higher up against his ribs giving him a better angle to plunge into her. Her nails dug into his ass and shoulder eliciting a sound from him that sounded very much like a growl. Her body arched against his pressing her breasts against him as her walls clamped down around him like a vice.

"Ahh God, Spencer!" She cried out as shivers raked through her body. Every shiver vibrated through his cock making him groan. He struggled to keep the pace; the need for release was almost too heady and powerful. He pushed her through her first orgasm picking up the pace only minutely. "You still haven't given me what I want, baby." She moaned in his ear pushing him into her heat harder and raising her hips. He bottomed out inside her earning another ragged sound from her and one of his own. His hand slipped under her head lifting it so his mouth could find her throat. She cried out for him when he bit down against her throat. Her fingers sunk into his hair fisting it as she shivered.

"Make that sound again and I'll give you anything you want." He panted between the kisses he littered down her neck. He picked another spot and bit down, never to hurt her, enough to leave a subtle imprint of teeth. Her walls clamped down around his cock again as she cried out again. He couldn't hold out anymore when she shuddered around him. He emptied himself inside her with a ragged growl collapsing almost boneless against his panting fiancé. He didn't think he'd be able to move anytime soon after he managed to roll off of her. "That was..." He whispered reverently a few minutes later.

"Fucking hot is what it was. Are you alright over there, old man?" Ella asked softly turning on her side so she could look at him. Reid looked over at her and she just laughed.

"I'm only 22 months older than you, I'm hardly old." He said swatting her on the thigh playfully.

"You look tired. If you've had enough we can shower and you can rest." She said before moving to get up only to have Reid pin her to the floor.

"Why don't you just tell me you want me? You insist on teasing and challenging me." He whispered in her ear as his hand slid down her body. She squirmed under him as he palmed and kneaded her breast softly teasing her nipple with his fingers.

"What fun would that be?" Her voice had gone back to breathy and sultry, just how he liked it. She whimpered as his mouth met her damp skin. Reid pressed kisses down her throat and between her breasts brushing his thumb over her hardened nipple.

"I wish you could see how sexy you look right now." He whispered before his mouth latched onto her nipple drawing on it hard. "I love it when you bite your lip like that." His skin prickled with warm energy and heat pooled in his abdomen and groin. His hand move from her breast and down her body feeling goosebumbs break over her skin. His fingers found her clit rubbing it with increasing pressure. Her hand gripped the blanket and her nails dug into his shoulder as she mewled again. He plunged two fingers inside her and moaned as she cried out for him. Her body arched off of the floor and into him as she ground her hips against his hand.

"Oh, God, Spencer I'm gonna," she barely got the words out before her head fell back and her body clamped down on his fingers. She let out a string of curses into his arm that would have made any self respecting sailor blush. He helped her ride the wave and waited till her eyes were back on him to suck on his fingers. She made a sound that reminded him of a growl.

"Spencer, this is one of those times when I'm going to ask you not to be gentleman." He nodded. "Stand up." That wasn't a question. He smiled and did what she said. She rolled to her knees and the move was extremely sexy. She was looking at him the way a starving man looks at a porter house steak. It was the way she got to him that made it impossible to deny her anything she wanted. His back met the wall as she crawled to him. He wasn't even sure what she was going to do then she pressed a soft kiss to the tip of his cock. Her hand wrapped around him pumping slowly before ran her tongue over him from tip to base. A strangled sound escaped him as she took him into her mouth. Something about watching his cock disappear in her mouth made his knees weak. His hips bucked on their own and she made a sound that made him think he hurt her. She hummed and it vibrated through him making his eyes slide shut. Her head bobbed up and down on him and his hands tangled themselves in her hair. "Come on, baby, do it again." She said softly before taking as much of him in her mouth as she could. His hips bucked on their own accord again and she let him rock in and out of her mouth her tongue swirling around him.

"God, Tesoro, so close." She took that as her cue to suck faster and harder until he exploded in her mouth with a cry and her name.

"Mmm, un sapore così delizioso, non ho sprecare una sola goccia Dolce." He groaned hearing her words.

"Just don't tell anyone else why you call me that." He said dragging her mouth up to his. He kissed her hard.

"Qualsiasi cosa che mi chiedi amore." He groaned scooping her up. She knew it turned him on when she spoke Italian to him. Her legs wrapped around his waist as she nipped at his chin and throat.

"If you say so, now let's go get you cleaned up."

* * *

Hours later they were all clean and dressed walking up to JJ's door. Reid had a feeling something else was going on here. It was odd. He knew Garcia normally loved babysitting with him, even more so when he brought Ella. But for some reason she wasn't there. The street was almost too peaceful. It made him nervous. He knocked on the door and JJ opened the door smiling a little too much.

"Hey guys, you're right on time." Reid looked over at Ella who raised her eye brow at him.

"You know what this is don't you?" Ella whispered before walking in. Reid looked at her confused and shook his head. She rolled her eyes and snorted. "Some profiler you are." She joked following JJ inside.

"Uncle 'Penster! Aunty Ella!" Henry cried excitedly launching himself at Ella's legs. She scooped him up and peppered his face with kisses.

"How's my favorite man?"

"Hey?" Reid pouted from beside her.

"Okay my favorite little man." She said rolling her eyes handing the little boy over to his uncle. Henry gave him a big hug before wiggling to get down.

"You have to come see!" He exclaimed grabbing both of their hands and pulling them toward the dining room.

"Surprise!" about thirty people came out of hiding places and startled them. Reid's first instinct when startled was to grab Ella and put her behind him and reach for his gun.

"I told you she was acting strange." She said rubbing his back to calm him. Everybody was there, the whole team, Aubrey, Isla, Tate, Honor, Peyton, and even Ethan who happened to be in town this weekend

"That is why you do not surprise and FBI agent, especially one that had been spending extra time training." Morgan said handing them each a glass of what looked like wine. Reid gave him a look to tell him to shut up and the other man had the grace to look apologetic. Reid looked at Ella who was being fussed over by Isla and Emily. They were forcing a tiara on her while she resisted ineffectively. "You didn't tell her you passed all you physical training? I thought you'd be excited, Pretty Boy."

"I am, I just didn't want her to know I failed in the first place." Reid responded but his eyes were on Ella. She had Henry on her lap talking to her excitedly. "She has all this training, I wanted to be able to defend and protect her the way she defends and protects me."

"I understand every man wants to protect his woman." Reid snorted at Morgan's statement.

"Make sure you don't let any of those women hear you say that." Morgan chuckled. Hours later they were sitting around JJ's table eating and laughing. He couldn't keep his hands off of her at the party. It was little touches that did the most; her hand slipping into his hair when they were sitting next to each other on JJ's sofa, he brushed his lips against her neck when he leaned in to whisper something to her. She'd shivered when he did it and it just excited him more. They were all sitting around the table and everyone else was talking but his attention was on her. His hand found its way to her thigh under the table stroking it softly. Seeing her squirm in her seat a little kind of turned him on. Reid didn't know what had gotten into him but he kind of liked it.

"I don't think it would look good if I threw you down on the table and mounted you like a pony." She whispered breathily in his ear as his hand stroked her thigh. Her lips brushed his neck softly as her hand brushed his scalp again. He couldn't help the reflexive smile that spread across his face as he leaned into her.

"Watching you two is a lot like watching porn." Morgan said breaking them out of their own little world. Ella's hands wrapped around Reid's arm to stop his hand from moving and it made him laugh a little.

"I know right, you two are ridiculously erotic." Reid won their small battle moving his hand further up her thigh brushing the bottom of her skirt. Her skin was smooth and hot against his hand. Ella grabbed his thigh after hearing Morgan and Prentiss' comments. Reid smiled finally pulling his eyes away from Ella. He had the decency to blush but he was more excited than uncomfortable.

"Sorry." Ella apologized but she didn't pull her hands away from Reid and she didn't sound like she meant it. Morgan and Prentiss laughed along with what seemed like everyone else. Reid looked up and realized that just about everybody had been staring at them. Ella tucked her face against his neck, at first he though she was embarrassed. "You are driving me crazy." He pressed his face against hers as she whispered to him. Instead of her lips it was her teeth that scraped his neck sending a jolt through his system and straight to his groin. It made his mind flash back to everything they'd done that morning. He shivered involuntarily feeling Ella smile against his neck. "Watch it doctor, can't have your fiancé raping you in public."

"Hey JJ, you might need to clean those two chairs after they leave. I couldn't be more grossed out watching my friend paw my sister." Prentiss called to her friend. Reid gave her a look of mock unfriendliness but his focus didn't stay on her long.

"I've seen Ella with guys before but it was never like this. She's enamored by him all the time. He walks into the room and she no longer hears anyone else speaking." Aubrey commented.

"Reid is the same way. She comes into the office and he goes brain dead." Morgan responded.

"They're talking about us like we're not here." Ella whispered in his ear before she pressed a kiss directly under it.

"And they're pretending we can't hear or respond." He whispered back as his fingertips slipped under her the hem of her dress.

"Maybe we should amp up the show then." Her teeth scraped his neck again as her hand slipped into his lap. She rubbed his already growing erection making it worse. "Hmm, I guess the feeling is mutual. That makes me feel a little better."

"That thing you said about throwing me down, you are very close to a similar outcome." She laughed softly against his neck when he grabbed her hand to stop her from touching him.

"Promises, promises. You are making it very hard to sit still. I think I should be able to make it hard…for you to do the same." Reid couldn't help chuckling at her pause.

"I love your sense of humor. You are a very special woman." He said softly meeting her eyes. Her gaze was dangerously seductive, he knew that predatory look. "What is you always say to me? It's hard to breathe when you look at me that way." She smiled hearing her words.

"When you say special, do you mean like 'Jesus, kid, stop licking the glass' special?" He chuckled at her response.

"No, no, that's not what I mean. I mean something about you makes me comfortable." She smiled and it made her eyes sparkle. He knew what the something was, it was everything. She was smart, funny, beautiful, strong, sexy, and a myriad of other delightful adjectives. When he was around her he didn't have to be Dr. Spencer Reid, Supervisory Special Agent of the BAU. He was just Spencer, a man who loved a woman. It was refreshing; having her next to him was like a breath of fresh air. He felt things with her that he didn't entirely understand but it felt great.

"Okay, so since this is an engagement party it's my job as the best friend of the groom to tell his fiancé a really embarrassing story." Morgan said standing up at the head of the table. Reid rolled his eyes as Ella perked up. "As you know Reid got shot in the leg protecting someone. He was in the hospital for a few days and there was one nurse who wanted to bare his children. Her name was Cassie and she was 47 years old. She had a very masculine look to her and she felt him up every chance she got. One day I came to see him and I walked in the room to something that will forever be burned in my memory. Reid was up trying to get used to using crutches. Cassie was behind him holding him up. When I walked in she took that as an opportunity and smacked Reid on the ass. He looked up at me with eyes full of fear and squeaked help. I was laughing so hard I had tears falling down my face. He begged me, after she left, to never leave him alone in the hospital again." Ella was laughing so hard she was turning colors and she wasn't alone.

"Okay, it's only fair that I tell an embarrassing story about El." Isla said standing up. "We went to a unisex boarding school but the dorms were single sex and on opposite sides of the campus. Ella had a boyfriend, we were 16, and El was ready to lose her virginity. The only way to do that was to sneak into the boys' dorm in the middle of the night after the den mothers and fathers were asleep. I told her it was a bad idea but she didn't listen to me. She got dressed in her best lingerie and pulled on her uniform after she made some adjustments. She found the room she thought was his and climbed through his window. Me and our friend Angela were outside trying to help her into the room. A few minutes later we hear a scream and Ella comes falling ass over tea kettle out of the window. She lands ass up on the ground just as the den father came to the window. He took one look at Ella's purple thong and blushed profusely. That was bad enough, but the entire building heard Ella scream. So at just about the same time all the lights in the building came on and every boy in the building came to the window. Ella's ass was in the air until she righted herself to whistles and cat calls. She straightened up and looked at them all before yanking open her shirt and screaming 'now you pussies can really get your rocks off' then turned and limped away. For the rest of our high school career all the boys would see her and meow. When she would meet someone new she would say her name. That person would automatically look at her in realization and say "I know you; you're the horny cat burglar." Everyone at the table fell out laughing including Reid. Ella threw something at her sister. "That being said I'm happy she found a man who would climb through a window for her. I hope one day I have what you two have, only less gross." The rest of the night was full of storied and laughter. Reid looked around at his family and friends before his eyes fell on his fiancé.

"I'm the luckiest guy in the world." He whispered to her softly. She kissed him softly and gave him a dazzling smile.

"Damn straight cowboy."

**A/N: un sapore così delizioso, non ho sprecare una sola goccia Dolce - Tastes so delicious, I did not waste a single drop Sweet.**

**Qualsiasi cosa che mi chiedi amore - Anything you ask of me love.  
**


	13. All I Need

**A/N: I know it's late and the other one will be up shortly after this one. I blame finals and you should too. All I Need is a song by Christina Aguilera.**

_"He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery." ~ Harold Wilson _

Ella was freaking out! She couldn't be...it just wasn't possible. As she sat in the living room with Aubrey, Isla, and Emily she kept trying to think of other reasons for her symptoms. Ninety seconds had never seemed like so long. Spencer was out with Morgan doing something manly and Ella was losing her damn mind. It was too quiet in that damn room. No one was speaking; just staring off into space like that's where the answers were. She'd drunk two bottles of Snapple raspberry tea and she was pretty sure she was going to have to pee again soon. She felt ridiculous. They'd been engaged for five months, getting married in seven. Spencer was going to have a coronary but she was probably going to go first. She had been so deep in her head that the beeping of the alarm made her jump. As soon as she heard it her head started spinning and her stomach rolled unpleasantly. She was gonna be sick again. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and she felt like she was going to pass out. It was too fast, it wasn't supposed to happen this fast. They were supposed to get married, be all lovey-dovey and make people sick, eventually get on each other's nerves, and then…this was too fast. She leaned forward and put her head between her knees. Aubrey got up and walked to the bathroom first. Isla had to help Ella up and keep her steady on the way there. They were all positive. All five tests were positive.

"I'm gonna be sick." No sooner did she finish the sentence before she emptied her stomach again. Emily handed her a wash cloth when she was done and brushed her damp hair away from her face. She felt gross, she was so tired of throwing up she didn't know what to do. "Lunch meet toilet, and toilet, please do me a favor and be nice to lunch."

"Are you okay?" Aubrey asked sitting on the floor in front of her best friend. Ella was crying because she was afraid. She would be a terrible mother. She was selfish and didn't know how to sit still. She spent most of her time flying all over creation to babysit someone who really just wanted validation. She'd have to quit her job or at least turn that part over to Aubrey. Her mother was never going to shut up about this and Ella knew. That's just what she needed, more guilt trips from Elizabeth Prentiss.

"No, I'm not. I just got engaged 5 months ago. We haven't bought a house yet. And now I'm..."

"Knocked up?" Isla offered leaning against the sink. Ella snorted humorlessly and rolled her eyes.

"Isabella Rachel, don't make me throw up on you."

"Michaela Rose, stop being a baby." Ella put her head on her knees feeling more tears coming.

"What if he's not ready? What if he freaks out? His voice gets really high when he freaks out."

"Then you'll deal with it when we he's done freaking out." Aubrey said putting a hand on her best friend. "Aren't you even a little bit happy?"

"Of course, terrified is just the more prominent emotion. I need to set up a doctor's appointment. I want to give Spencer all the information I can when I tell him. Even when he's freaking out information makes him feel better."

"Wow, you really are perfect for him." Emily joked quietly. She put her arm around Ella and pulled her closer rubbing her hand in her hair. Ella smiled softly; it was something Emily used to do when she was younger. They hadn't been this close in a long time.

"He's perfect, I'm just lucky."

Two days later Ella went to her doctor's appointment and it confirmed what she already knew. But she had a picture. Her heart fluttered in her chest when the doctor took it. When they woke her up after she passed out she'd cried for a good 20 minutes. The doctor just handed her a tissue every couple minutes as she bitched to no one in particular. One of two things was gonna happen when Spencer got home. Either he was going to freak out or pass out. There was the possibility of both. She was more worried that he'd run screaming from the room. She knew the idea of children terrified her future husband because of his mother's condition. He was worried that any child he had could suffer from the same disease. It occurred to her that he could not want children. But she had to tell him. She had to let him know everything she knew. She was pacing in the living room waiting for him to get home from work. Aubrey had been there to see the picture and drop off some manuscripts for her to read before she had to catch a plane. Isla was working; Emily was just getting back with Spencer so she was all by herself. She'd been practicing what she was going to say. She knew when it happened, he'd been out of town on a bad case and she'd had an ear infection. Antibiotics make birth control less effective. She hadn't even thought about it. He'd barely made it through the door before he was on her. She shivered remembering the frenzied passionate way he'd made love to her. No, that wasn't the right word. He'd fucked her silly. She was scared he would blame her. It was her fault, she should have known. What if it was too fast for him? What if he freaked out and took off? She knew having children scared him. She knew what he worried about even if he didn't talk about it. All her practice didn't prepare her for hearing his keys outside the door. The moment his key entered the lock her stomach rolled in a way that had become entirely too familiar. She turned on her heel and took off for the bathroom. She made it just in time. She heard him come in and promptly threw up again.

"Ella, are you okay?" He was behind her moving her hair away from the toilet and rubbing soothing circles on her back. She sat back when she was done and got up to brush her teeth.

"Yea I'm fine. I made you something. It's in the kitchen, give me five minutes and I'll meet you in there." He looked like he wanted to argue but she gave him the best reassuring smile she could muster and he took it. He walked away and Ella closed the door behind him. After she washed her face and brushed her teeth for what felt like the hundredth time that day she stared at herself in the mirror. She pulled her hair up into a messy bun before she realized she was staling and took the bun down again. "Well here goes fucking everything." She said to herself before she walked out. Oh what she would give for a stiff drink. Spencer was standing in the living room with a brownie waiting for her. He looked worried and Ella hated it when he worried about her. He had enough to worry about. She pulled the sonogram picture out of her pocket and held it to her chest. She reached her hand out to him and pulled him to the living room. She wanted him sitting down when she told him. She was pretty sure she couldn't catch him or hold him up so she wasn't taking any chances. When they sat down he brushed a hand through her hair and she had to focus. She turned to goo whenever he did it but she couldn't afford that luxury.

"You're scaring me. What's wrong?" she shook her head and smiled at him. Her eyes were watering and her heart was speeding up again. She jumped up so she could pace.

"You know how I've been sick lately?" he moved to stand up with her and she put her hands up to stop him. "I can't…you have to stay there and let me get through this. Please." Spencer sat back down but he was frowning. If he wasn't worried before he was definitely worried after that.

"Yeah you've been tired. Will you tell me what's wrong? Are you sick?" Ella shook her head. Her mind was moving a mile a minute.

"I'm fine. I keep remembering this stupid joke from House, he told the woman she had a parasite but people learn to like that particular type of parasite, give it names and buy it clothes. I just don't know how to tell you what I need to tell you. I went to the doctor today and told her what was going on. I took five tests Spencer, I thought I was just being thorough but she pretty much laughed at me. I had to drink a lot of Snapple to take five tests. I told her I wanted her to run tests and she promised to do all that but she said there was a way to find out quickly. I know you… how you feel about this and I can understand if it completely freaks you out. It freaks me out too; this isn't what I was expecting. We haven't bought a house and I don't even know if this is what you want. But I'm so happy, I couldn't be happier. I also couldn't be more terrified…" she was going a mile a minute and she was pretty sure he had no idea what she was saying. He stood up when her back was turned. When she turned around he was right there and his hands went to her face.

"You aren't making any sense." He brushed his lips over hers softly to calm her down. She was holding onto his shirt for dear life. "Just tell me…"

"I'm pregnant." He blinked. She handed him the picture. He looked at and all the air rushed out of him like a balloon deflating. He was silent for way too long, or at least Ella though it was too long. It felt like days. He pressed a kiss on her forehead and headed toward the door. "Where are you going?" she asked quietly.

"I need air." Ella did her best to stay calm but before she knew it she was crying so hard she was shaking. She tried to do normal things but her hands were shaking so bad she dropped a glass in the kitchen. She couldn't stay there in the silence anymore. She had to get out. She got in her car and went to her sister because she had nowhere else to go. Emily opened the door and pulled her little sister into a hug. "He just left, Em. I told him I was pregnant and he just left saying he needed air."

"I'll kill him; no better yet I'll let Morgan do it."

* * *

Reid drove around for hours unsure of what he was feeling. He wasn't ready to be a father. He didn't think he ever would be. His genes were no good. Any child of his ran the risk of being schizophrenic or at the least painfully awkward. Ella was amazing; she would make a great mother. Henry loved her and watching her with him made Reid's heart swell in his chest. He felt like a bastard for leaving. The air had felt too thick and his skin was burning. He took off like he was on fire. He was just like his father, and that was something he never wanted to be. He owed Ella the biggest apology. He expected to find her pissed off and ready to kill him. He expected to spend the night begging her to forgive him for being an ass. He expected to go home and have his ass kicked. Instead he walked into an empty apartment. That was ten thousand times worse than anything he'd been expecting. He screwed up. He walked into the kitchen and glass crunched under his feet. It wasn't the first time he'd pissed her off so bad she broke something. He pulled out his phone and tried to think of who to call after he realized she wasn't there. He knew Aubrey was visiting her family in Vegas and Isla was on call. She would be at the hospital till 6am. So he bit the bullet and called Emily.

"You spineless bastard." That's pretty much the greeting he expected.

"So I take it you've seen her."

"How could you just run out on her like that Reid? She left after I calmed her down some. She said she needed to clear her head. Morgan is on his way to talk to you." And with that she hung up on him. He had maybe two minutes to feel like a serious jerk before there was a knock on the door. He walked over to open it knowing from the knock that it was Morgan. His best friend gave him a look that let him know that he wasn't happy with Reid either.

"Well Pretty Boy you definitely stepped in it this time. To be honest I want to hit you too. Emily called me and threatened your life. I asked why and she told me Ella was pregnant and you just left. She said she didn't seem like herself. I stopped by there and to see her before I came here. She'd left but Emily was upset enough. You have no idea how angry she looked." No he didn't but he could guess. Reid sat down in one of the dining room chairs and put his forehead on the table.

"I freaked out. I'm not ready to be a father."

"Your only choice here is to get ready and take care of your pregnant fiancé." Reid heard the edge in Morgan's voice. "I answered my phone and Prentiss said some words I've never heard her say. Ella was in tears because she thought you were going to leave her. Prentiss wants your head on a stick."

"I didn't leave her. I left the apartment. I said I needed air. She doesn't realize that having a baby with me is a bad idea. My genes are all screwed up. She deserves to be a mother; she'll be a great one. I'm the problem. Not her, I love her. I'm not going anywhere I just can't help thinking she made a mistake agreeing to marry me." He was about to sit up when Morgan smacked him in the back of the head. His forehead hit the table and it hurt. "Point taken."

"Good, now go get her."

Reid knew exactly where Ella would be. There was only one place she would be. He pulled into the parking lot across the water from the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and walked the trail to get to it. There she was on the steps eating French fries. He sat down next to her and pulled her into his lap when she tried to get away. He pulled his jacket off and pulled it around her, it wasn't cold but it wasn't exactly warm either. Late April tended to dance somewhere in the middle. She was wearing a thin grey hoodie and black yoga pants with those silly boots she loved so much. She tried to shrug off his jacket but he wrapped his arms around her. He let his hand land on her belly. She stopped fighting him when he did.

"Son of a bitch." She hissed trying to pull away again. "How could you just leave me like that? I know this is fast and I know this is scary but that's just not fair."

"Not it's not, I'm so sorry Tesoro." She finally pushed away and stood up to pace. He didn't mean to smile but his fiancé was amazing. Whenever she was angry, she had to pace while she yelled at him. Anytime she needed to focus her thoughts enough to speak or when she was fussing at someone from work she paced. She did it when she was trying to come up with ideas for her authors. Before he knew it he was on his feet and kissing her. Her hands slid up his chest and into his hair as she opened her mouth for him. He pressed his body to hers thinking about the life growing inside of her.

"God damn you, I'm trying to be pissed here." She whispered breathlessly when they pulled back for air.

"I'm sorry I freaked out. You have every right to be pissed at me. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I got scared." She pushed away so she could pace and he let her.

"I'm not asking you to have the answers here, Spencer. I'm terrified too. I passed out dude; I'm not exactly rolling in experience here. I'm asking you to freak out with me. I can't do this alone. I need you, that's one of the many reasons I'm marrying you. What part of 'I can't see my future without you in it' did you misunderstand Genius?"

"I'm not going anywhere. I just needed to get some air. I'm sorry. I know there is nothing I can say that will make what I did better. But I love you and I will love this baby. When I say I need air that's exactly what I mean. I just need air. I'm afraid…I'm afraid that I'm going to be the reason this baby isn't healthy."

"Whatever happens, I will love this kid and I love you dummy. Right now, androgynous baby no name is just swimming in fluid. It's easy street for this kid. _I_ need you!" He kissed her again when he realized she was crying. "And I'm not sure why you're surprised that you knocked me up. The night I'm pretty sure we conceived our asexual invader, someone was a freaking animal. I don't know many people who can come home from a long trip where they barely slept and bang their fiancé 7 times before he finally passed out. I couldn't pull myself out of bed the next morning. You were limping; I always know you did too much when you start limping."

"That was two months ago. I didn't know you were that far along." He said softly feeling the smile come to his face. Ella smiled up at him and nodded. "I don't remember hearing complaints from you and I have a…"

"Mention your eidetic memory Spencer Reid and so help me God I will make you sleep in your car tonight." He chuckled raising his hands in defeat. "We need to do something I don't want to do…well a few things. Wanna go for a walk?" Reid nodded and followed her as she started walking.

"What's that?"

"Well I refused to be pregnant in a wedding dress, that's just a little too white-trash beautiful for me. Would you be angry if we had to push the wedding back some?"

"As long as you still plan on marrying me I'm fine."

"I'd marry you right now if our original reasons for not eloping weren't still there." Reid loved that she cared so much. The truth was there weren't really reasons plural, there was one reason. He really wanted his mom to be at his wedding. Ella wanted that too even though she wasn't sure she wanted her own mother at her wedding sometimes. When they set the date they were excited but he was okay with pushing the wedding back for the baby.

"I love you; I will marry you whenever you are ready. I'm happy."

"Really? I know this baby thing freaks you out." He stopped and pulled her till she was in front of him. He ran his fingers through her hair and watched her eyes flutter shut. Touching her hair had the same effect on her that having her scratch his scalp had on him. Her fingers curled into his shirt as she pressed her forehead to his chest

"I know I freaked out but I'm not going anywhere. I shouldn't have walked out even if I had every intention of coming back. I'm in this for the long haul, no matter what. So what else is it that you don't want to do?" He asked smiling down at her. She smiled meeting his eyes and kissed his throat. "Focus, Michaela." He teased and she rolled her eyes. She pulled away and started walking again. They were going across a bridge over water. He knew they were headed toward the reflection pool, the World War II memorial, and the Lincoln memorial.

"I'm thinking we should buy a house." He gave her a look that said he knew that wasn't the right answer to his question.

"I'm thinking you're right. It might be hard to fit a baby into my apartment with us. Are you going to answer my question?"

"Eventually, and I'm not happy about this, we're going to have to tell my mother."

"Oh the horror." Reid replied dryly.

"Make jokes all you want, there will be no end to the guilt. She won't stop fussing until we pour a bucket of water on her. Or better yet, we can drop a house on her."

"It worries me that your eyes actually light up when you say that." She laughed as they kept walking. They walked in silence for a while holding hands until they got to the World War II memorial and sat by the fountain. Reid watched Ella pull her knees up to her chest before he put his arm around her. "Are you ready for this?" Reid thought about it before he pulled the sonogram picture out of his pocket. He looked at it and smiled before handing it to Ella who did the same.

"As ready as I'll ever be. You?"

"Dear God, I hope so."


	14. Ignorance

**A/N: I'm sorry if there are any grammatical or spelling errors. I just finished it and I wanted to get it out before I went to bed. Hopefully this will hold you through finals week. Ignorance is a song by Paramore. Enjoy, my lovelies. **

_"The evil that is in the world almost always comes from ignorance; and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding." ~ Albert Camus_

Reid had been gone for almost a week and he missed his pregnant fiancé so much it was hard to think about the case sometimes. He called her every time he got a free moment and it drove Morgan crazy. She was 16 weeks and starting to show. Reid didn't think she had ever looked more beautiful than she did the morning he left. He'd called her before he got on the plane and she'd asked him to pick up takeout on his way home and make sure there was red velvet cake involved. He was almost sure if he forgot the cake he would be sleeping on the sofa. He got to the door and he could hear the music through it. He wondered if his neighbors hated them. It hadn't been fun the one night his next door neighbor called the police and told them it sounded like they were killing each other. Ella had made some joke to the officer that there would be no more "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" style loving anymore. The officer chuckled and winked telling him he was a very lucky man. He walked in and she was dancing around in a black racer back tank top and grey sweat pants. Her hair was loose and wild like he liked it. It curled on its own if she let it. "Oh she's only 17, wind and wind and wound up everything. Bloody Mary breakfast busting up the scene. Brothers frightened when's a baby gonna sleep. Hidden ship two sails away." She was cleaning, which was never a good sign, he noticed but she was completely oblivious to the fact that he was inside and watching her. "It's the culmination of a story and a goodbye session, it's the tick of our time and the tick in her hair that made me feel so strange. I could call you baby I could call you damn it. It's a one in a million. Oh it's the rolling of your Spanish tongue that made me want to stay." He watched her sweep the floor and sing a little off key with a huge smile on his face. In spite of his horrible week he was unbelievably happy he could come home to her. Another song started, something blue veins, and she turned and saw him. He had just enough time to drop his stuff and catch her when she ran and jumped on him. Ella kissed him so hard he had to put her against the wall to keep them from falling.

"Well, I feel appropriately missed now." He said breathlessly when she pulled away.

"Of course I missed you, baby." She purred smiling at him. That smile said he was crazy if he thought otherwise. "How was your flight?"

"Quiet, which I can tell your evening hasn't been. Do you keep forgetting the walls here aren't as thick as the ones at your apartment?"

"I know that. I asked Jules and Sam if they cared and they said no."

"Who?" He asked as he put her down. She was moving as soon as her feet touched the ground. He followed her into the kitchen. He could tell something was bothering her. She only cleaned when it was necessary for her sanity. The music was normal.

"Your neighbors, Jules and her daughter Halle live in 406 and Sam and Valarie live in 410. That reminds me, I have good news." She was going a mile a minute pulling down plates and cups for dinner."Did you get my cake?" He smiled and nodded.

"And these came from Garcia; she threatened my life for almost forgetting them."

"My peanut butter and M&M cookies! You have my permission to give her a big wet juicy kiss tomorrow." Reid gave her a look that made her laugh hard. "On the cheek, love. I'm having your baby, it's too late to pimp you out for goods and services."

"As much as I don't want to be pimped out for anything I don't see what the two have to do with each other."

"I nearly took off Sophie's head today in yoga because she mentioned wanting to have your children. Our parasite makes me hostile when people mention wanting to bang its father." She was out of the kitchen before he could speak. She only called their unborn child a parasite when it was a) making her sick, b) making her jeans too small, or c) making her emotional. Any other time it was asexual baby no name.

"So that's what's bothering you."

"It's not the first time a woman has mentioned wanting to ride you like a pony but I always laugh it off. I threatened Sophie's life. I feel like a psycho incapable of controlling my own damn emotions. So I came home with a stack of manuscripts and tried to mellow out. I even played that Mozart stuff you like so much. Several minutes later I woke up and changed the music." Reid smiled pulling her against his body.

"Please stop calling our baby a parasite. I prefer asexual baby no-name, even if it's not completely accurate."

"I tried androgynous baby no name but you didn't like that either. If that makes you feel better, but remember you don't have to let it invade you."

"It's not invading you, it's living inside you until it can survive out here."

"You do realize that being invaded and being taken over for incubation purposes have a lot in common? I just got to the point where I don't puke every five fucking minutes. Now, I'm the jealous hormone monster of doom." He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers softly. She melted against him moaning when he deepened the kiss. "Smooth move, doctor. Shut the bitching fiancé up by kissing her senseless, nice plan." She said when he pulled away enough so she could talk. He brushed his nose against hers just happy to be close to her after the week he had.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"We've talked about how ridiculous it is for you to play dumb, Doctor." He chuckled and kissed her again before pulling away. He carried the food into the living room while she bought the plates and drinks.

"You mentioned good news." She perked up as she made her spot on the coffee table. He still thought it was hilarious that she would rather sit on a table, dresser, or desk than next to it like a normal person. She sat Indian style with her plate on her lap then changed her mind and started eating out of the container.

"I found us a real estate agent!"

"Really, how did you do that?" She rolled her eyes and looked up at him sheepishly.

"My mother helped me." She pouted adorably as she said it.

"Why do you make it sound like that's the worst thing that could possibly happen?" She gave him a look between bites of mashed potatoes.

"Before she would help me she made me ask and tell her why it was suddenly so important. She mentioned knowing I would be the one to get knocked up before I got married. She basically called me the family jezebel and called me backwards with as little words as possible. She mentioned being lucky you have a steady job because I can take off on 'flights of fancy' while you bring home the bacon. She fussed about my clothes for twenty minutes and mentioned suffocating our little invader. All of this happened before Isla and I had lunch with her. I almost wanted to tell her that Isla had made out with every member of a small fraternity on a dare our first year of college to take the heat off of asexual baby no name."

"Emily said she bought you maternity clothes because she and Garcia saw them and thought of you. You flat out refuse to wear them."

"I'm not going to have a choice for much longer. My hips are spreading and 60% of my pants no longer fit. I know how much you like that my boobs are a cup size away from tipping me over, but it doesn't bode well for some of my clothing. So after the suffocating the baby bit, she complained that I wasn't wearing enough clothes so I was cooking it too. I swear asexual baby no name is dealing with a lot in its little warm pocket of goo." Reid tried not to look grossed out by that thought.

"Your mother wants the baby to be healthy and she thinks you need her help."

"I'm knocked up not stupid. I know that if the jeans don't button I shouldn't wear them. I also know..." Reid looked up when she stopped talking. Her hand was on her belly and she was smiling.

"Ella? What is it?" She put the container down and grabbed his hand so fast she nearly fell off the table. She put it on her belly and looked up at him expectantly. He knew it was too early for him to feel anything but it didn't stop him from being a little jealous. "Did you feel it move?" She nodded as her eyes started watering.

"Asexual baby no name just told me to stop bitching."

"What does it feel like?" She smiled so bright he couldn't help but smile with her.

"Like butterflies or bubbles. It's the strangest thing I've ever felt. But I just really want it to happen again."

"Will you stop calling it a parasite now?" She laughed heartily and pulled his face to hers so she could kiss him.

"Yes, Dolce, I will. I've got a little piece of you inside me in the least dirty way possible. Invader he/she is perfect." A few hours later they were working. Ella had one of her manuscripts open with a pen and highlighter close by. She of course was curled up on the coffee table and Reid found himself watching her. He couldn't help thinking about the 20 year old kid that died the day before. He put on a good show but he was terrified that they're baby would either grow up with a crazy father or go crazy later in life. Watching Ella absently rub her stomach while she read made him happy. But there was always this little voice in his head that kept repeating statistics. She looked up but she wasn't looking at him. It took her a minute or two to look at him putting down the manuscript and picking up a cookie. "What do you think about adoption?" Now he was lost.

"I think I want to keep our baby." She rolled her eyes and snatched the file out of his hands. She always closes them before she snatches them. She climbed on his lap, her feet never touching the floor, and straddled him.

"No special, not our kid, someone else's kid." He gave her a look that he hoped conveyed his confusion. "Asexual baby no name was a surprise. A welcomed one, but one none the less. I know how you feel about having kids. I know what you're afraid of, Carissimo. This baby will be loved no matter what happens in the future. We can have more kids without physically having more kids. I'm not talking about tomorrow or even in the next few years. I would kind of like to see how pushing this one out goes. And marrying you sounds like a good start. But in the future we have options." He leaned in and kissed her his hands sinking in to her hair. He poured his heart into that kiss; he was trying to tell her something. When he finally pulled away she was breathless and her cheeks were flushed. "Wow, I didn't know adoption talk got you hot."

"Funny, no you just never cease to amaze me."

"Thank you, I think. Well since you like me so much right now, I think it's a good time to tell you that we have an appointment with our real estate agent tomorrow at 6. So you might want to work really fast and tell both Derek and my sister that they will have your hormonal fiancé to deal with if your pile magically gets larger." The next day Reid was at his desk working when he heard a random agent whistle. He almost didn't look up but his curiosity got the better of him. Ella was walking toward him and his mouth fell open. Something about being pregnant agreed with his fiancé, she was always beautiful and she always got a lot of attention but this was different. She complained about it but her breasts had gotten noticeably larger and her hips were spreading -her words not his- to accommodate asexual baby no name. She was starting to look like women in comic books and video games, ridiculously curvy and hot as hell. Her warm brown hair flared red in the light giving off that multidimensional shine they replicate in hair commercials. True to form, she had a glow about her that seemed to dance under skin mostly due to the smile on her face. She was wearing a short grey pleated skirt, a cherry red button up shirt that hugged her new curves, and black vintage thigh highs with a seam down the back. Her hair fell over her shoulders in loose tousled waves and her bangs hung above and around her pale brown eyes. His eyes followed the lines of her body down to the black stiletto Mary Janes he loved seeing her in. Anderson walked by and nearly got whiplash trying to check her out. A surge of protectiveness and jealousy went through the normally logical Dr. Spencer Reid. He stood up to do...he wasn't sure what he was gonna do because it really didn't matter. As always Ella read his mind. She walked up grabbed his face and kissed him like he was water and she just got back from the desert. He moaned pulling her to his body just about forgetting where they were. He pulled away breathless and a little giddy. There was a big smile on his face and she was smiling at him too.

"Hi baby." She purred sweetly.

"Well hello to you too sweetheart. I thought I was meeting you at the house?"

"It seemed cruel to make you take the subway when I could just pick you up." His hand went to her belly after she hopped on his desk. Her breathing hitched when he did and he just about panicked until he saw her smile.

"Did it move again?" She nodded before pulling him into another hard kiss. "What was that for?" He asked unable to keep the grin off his face. He hoped there would never be a day when her kisses didn't affect him like that.

"Proof that we both love you very much. Now come on Cowboy Spence, let's go buy a house." They saw four houses in the next two weeks before Reid had a case and had to go out of town. Ella was getting frustrated and felt bad because she thought her constant bitching- again her words- was driving him crazy. Her mother called every other day to give her input which annoyed both of them. He called Ella after a relatively normal case to tell her he was getting on the plane. She warned him that there was surprise he wasn't going to like entirely waiting for him when he got home. She gave him an address and told him to bring Morgan. It wasn't until he pulled up at the large two story house that he figured out what she was saying. It was a nice house, it looked homey. He liked it but he wasn't sure it was in their price range. He refused to let her pay as much as she wanted to. Morgan climbed out of the truck and looked around. The sun was just setting and the area was peaceful. There were still kids playing outside but it was relatively peaceful. They walked up the three steps and down a side walk path to the front door. Ella had told him the door would be open so he could just walk in. when they did they walked in to an open foyer. To the left was a large sunken living room. The living room was pretty large, it was full of whites, creams, rich browns, and tans. There was a large two tone sectional stretched around the room in front of a fire place and a large flat screen TV. There were colorful pillows strewn across the sofa and in the deep brown over stuffed leather chairs on either side of the sofa. To the right was another room with no furniture in it, just beige carpet. They kept walking until they got to the kitchen. It was full of deep brown rich wooden cabinets, shiny metal appliances, dark floors made of something that didn't look entirely like wood, and soft light colored granite counter tops. There were black metal stools around the island with orange cushions in them. Ella was standing there in a blue sundress biting her lip nervously. A man he'd only met once came out from what appeared to be the dining room. He was tall and broad, the same pale brown eyes and rich brown hair as the woman he loved. He was wearing an expensive suit and an expensive watch. He looked at Reid and it wasn't a look of someone who liked him. The man had made it clear he didn't think he was good enough for Ella the one time they met. Ella bit his head off and told him to fuck off. She hadn't talked to him for six months before he asked her to dinner to apologize. Reid squared his shoulders unconsciously when he faced William Prentiss. Ella looked up when he walked in and smiled at him. Reid couldn't help but smile back when she looked like that. Isla appeared out of nowhere and looked between Reid and their father.

"Well, I feel like I just walked into a showdown. Dad, I wouldn't take on D'Artagnan if I was you, especially with one of the other Musketeers backing him up."

"Isla, you are so not helping." Ella said sitting in one of the stools. Isla rolled her eyes but sat next to her sister quietly rubbing her stomach lovingly. Ella swatted her hand away, she got irritated when random people wanted to touch her belly but Isla didn't care. She went back to rubbing as soon as Ella put her hands down. Isla grinned big and bright as Ella frowned at her. "He tried to trick me, and dragged Isles into it." She said looking at Reid once again shoving her twin sister away. Reid looked up at William and tried not to look angry. He wasn't sure he liked the man any more then the man liked him. He went to Ella and kissed her. She kissed him back before resting her forehead on his. "Bad case?"

"Normal, it had a happy ending." She smiled as her fingers tangled in his shirt.

"That's good, I know you needed a win." She kissed him again before leaning back to look at Morgan standing awkwardly by the door like a bouncer. "Hey Derek, you're here to keep my dad and Spencer from killing each other. Among other very useful things."

"And man, are you gonna be busy."

"Isles, for Christ's sake. Dad wants to buy his first grandchild a house. I reminded him that his grandchild hasn't been born yet but he insisted on talking to the "man of the house" even if it meant hearing me bitch about his terminology the whole time."

"Spencer, can I talk to you in private?" William Prentiss finally spoke up. He'd only referred to him as kid when they met but now he was Spencer.

"Do you really think you're going to cut me out of this decision? You've lost your damn mind dad."

"This is a decision that involves both of us. Whatever you have to say you can say to the both of us." Reid said meeting the man's cold gaze. There were stories Ella told him about her childhood that made him despise the man in front of him. He was never there.

"This is between me and you; she's made her opinion clear. Grow a pair and talk to me man to man."

"I may be pregnant but I'm not barefoot and stupid. Stop talking about me like I'm just the little woman."

"She's right, she's my equal. And you have some nerve telling me to grow anything. I haven't seen any proof that you have any kind of back bone what so ever. If she's given you her opinion than chances are I agree. She's dealt with you more than me so she knows what to expect."

"So what you're telling me is that you can't stand up to your fiancé. She's going to walk all over you."

"It's not about standing up to her. It's about treating her like and equal. Do we argue, hell yeah, but I respect her and she respects me. We can disagree until the end of the world as long as we don't stop doing that."

"Morgan, how much?" Ella asked looking at the other man.

"You're family; we can work out something reasonable." William looked confused and did Reid. Isla had a smirk on her face to match Ella's and Morgan was smiling.

"Do you like the house, baby?" She asked looking up at Reid. He couldn't help smiling.

"How did you know?"

"He showed me the listing. I knew the name and number. Plus, helping Derek design this place gave me something to do since I don't really jet set anymore." Her father just looked back and forth between her and Derek. "Mom may drive me crazy but I see why she is the way she is. She had to have all the balls and she's had to for a very long time. Me, Isles, and Em are tough as hell because of her and because of everything we've been through together and individually. We are going to buy ourselves a house. You thought now would be a good time to be a father. Well it's funny how you want me now that I don't need you." With that she hopped off the stool and walked toward Morgan. "Let's talk numbers, Derek." Isla hopped off her stool and followed them out of the room leaving Reid with William Prentiss.

"She tricked me."

"I'm the genius but I'm pretty sure she's smarter than me."

"I'm not a bad person." He said quietly and just like that Reid felt sorry for him. He was a weak man who was surrounded by really strong women. He tried to assert power the wrong way and it blew up in his face. He'd seen it before but he could push down the anger that came along with the way the man had talked to his fiancé.

"I don't think you are but that never stopped you from passing judgment on me. If you thought she would marry a man who didn't treat her like an equal, you really don't know you daughter. Emily and Isla are the same way. They have different personalities but they think the same. They don't want a man they can walk all over and a man who tries to assert some sort of power against them is met with serious opposition. My mother didn't raise a man that would do that. I may not be a rich alpha male but I am a man. My maturity and intelligence stopped me from saying what I should have told you a long time ago. Your daughters have been through hell and most of that was because _you _didn't have the balls to stand up for them. I will never let someone mistreat her and she will never let someone mistreat me. I am going to marry her and we are going to have a baby. You can't change that but you can accept it. If you had asked to see her or me, I would have done it and tried to talk her into it. But you tried to trick her and prove you were better than me. It didn't work because you moved with dishonesty, you got what you deserved. Elbert Hubbard said _the recipe for perpetual ignorance is; be satisfied with your opinion and content with your knowledge _and Benjamin Franklin said _the only thing more expensive than education is ignorance_. How much are you going to let ignorance cost you, Mr. Prentiss. You've just about lost a daughter; the next is your grandchild." With that he turned and left the man to his thoughts. He didn't get far before he found his fiancé looking at him with a knowing look. "What?"

"You are the only man I know that can curse someone out without using a single curse word and quote Benjamin Franklin. Have I told you how awesome you are today?"

"No, but it was implied."


	15. Don't You Dare

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait my lovelies. I'm trying to get used to being back home where my laptop doesn't work well. This is a two part chapter, this is just the first part. The second will come in the next few days. The other reason this is late is because I started writing another story and I got wrapped up in it. Don't worry though, I will finish this one before I post anything else. And, if any of you read my story _Eight Words_, I'm working on a sequel to that too. Don't you Dare is a song by Alexz Johnson. It was on Instant Star, which is a TV show for those who don't know. **

_"Intuition is a combination of historical (empirical) data, deep and heightened observation, and the ability to cut through the thickness of surface reality. Intuition is like a slow motion machine that captures data instantaneously and hits you like a ton of bricks. Intuition is a knowing, a sensing that is beyond the conscious of understanding- a gut feeling. Intuition is not pseudo-science." ~ Abella Arthur_

Ella had a bad feeling. She didn't know where it came from; maybe her daughter was trying to tell her something. She was kicking harder than usual and she'd been moving more. She was trying to supervise the movers but she was agitated. She couldn't tell why but it was scaring her. She wanted to call Spencer but he was out of town on a case. He would call her when he could. He usually called to tell her he loved her before they went in to arrest someone. He hadn't so she figured he was busy being brilliant. Isla was worried about her, so was Tate. She wasn't acting like herself. She knew what she was doing was important, they had a baby on the way and they needed to move into their house. The next kick was a rather rough kidney shot. They were making her nauseous. Her head swam and Isla made her sit down and checked her vitals.

"You need to relax, El. Your blood pressure is up." Ella's chest hurt, she just knew something was wrong. She pulled out her phone and found Spencer's number.

"Something is wrong." She said softly before pushing talk. It went straight to voicemail. Suddenly it was harder to breathe.

"The baby is fine, she's been moving around giving you problems all day." Tate said kneeling in front of Ella but she kept shaking her head.

"I'm not talking about the baby; I'm talking about her father." She dialed Emily's number next and it also went straight to voicemail. She tried Morgan next and got the same result. By that point she was starting to hyperventilate.

"I'm sure Spencer is fine. But you need to calm down." Isla said trying to get her to relax but she was still shaking her head.

"He should have called by now." Ella snapped at her sister. She was tired of people telling her to calm down. She had a bad feeling and her daughter wasn't helping. She'd spent most of the morning of moving day bunched up too close to Ella's ribs. Now she was playing soccer with her kidneys. Isla was trying to calm her down but she was 30 weeks pregnant, cranky, and she hadn't spoke to her fiancé in three days. She couldn't get a hold of Derek or Emily. Why hadn't he called? He always called her when he had a free moment, more so since she got pregnant. The baby kicked her again and she groaned. "Come on baby girl, mommy really needs a break." The little girl didn't settle even as she rubbed her belly. She felt huge and no one would let her do anything. She wasn't even allowed to worry like a normal person it seemed. Every time she got up to pace so she could think either Isla or Tate would sit her back down.

"Maybe if you relax my niece will quit trying to bend it like Beckham." Isla said using her Dr. Prentiss voice.

"The next person who tells me to relax gets hit in the throat. If you people keep treating me like a fucking invalid I'm gonna start throwing punches!"

"You need to calm down El." Ella looked up at Tate and he took a step back. She dialed the only other person she could think of. She called JJ. She picked up on the second ring.

"Hey Ella, is everything ok?" Ella felt bad, she sounded busy.

"Did you ever get bad feelings when you were pregnant?"

"Bad feelings like what? Is the baby okay?"

"She's fine, kicking the hell out of my kidneys. I'm more worried about her father. I just have this feeling that something is wrong."

"Well I didn't have any but I know better than to deny them. Did you call him?" Finally someone didn't think she was crazy.

"I called him, Morgan, and Emily. It went straight to voicemail for all three. He usually calls me before they got to arrest someone."

"I'll call Garcia to see if something is wrong. Until then you have to calm down. You are only at 30 weeks." Ella heard her but it was at that moment that Morgan walked in without Spencer. He looked like he hadn't slept in at least 24 hours.

"Morgan, where is he?" As she asked her world was going grey around the edges."Tell me he's ok!" Ella cried moving toward Morgan. The movers stopped what they were doing and watched. The look on Morgan's face said he wasn't ok. Her vision swam and she felt like she was gonna be sick. She had a terrifying thought and her eyes welled with tears. She tried to speak but nothing would get past the lump in her throat. Not even air was coming through. She felt her daughter kick right before everything went black.

* * *

Derek Morgan is good at a lot of things, being helpless is not one of them. The last 24 hours had been hell. He'd found his best friend unconscious and bleeding when Reid's assignment should have been the safest of the three. He was just supposed to check on the kid and his girl friend. They were sure the father was the un-sub and he was. But the kid lost it and went off on Reid forcing the young agent to defend himself. Now the kid was dead and Reid had been stabbed three times before he shot the kid. He kept himself alive for an hour and a half and even woke up when Morgan found him. Emily wanted to be the one to tell her little sister but Morgan asked her to let him do it. He felt guilty for not realizing the kid wasn't right. Call it penance but he wanted to tell Ella. She was like a little sister to him now marrying his little brother. He should have spoken, he should have said something. But when she screamed at him and Isla was behind her looking worried he froze. He had to catch her, if he had been a second slower the baby could have been lost. Now he just felt guiltier. That's why he's the one sitting beside her unconscious form watching the fetal heart monitor. Baby girl Reid's heart was just pounding away fast and strong. They were giving Ella fluids and they forced her to rest. She'd worked herself all up worrying. She'd know something was wrong before he got there. He was drifting further into his guilt when he heard her shift and sigh. He looked up in time to see Ella's eyes open. Then she started giggling. He raised an eyebrow at her and whistled to get her attention.

"Sorry, baby girl has hiccups. It's kind of weird feeling them when you don't have them."

"What does it feel like?"

"It feels like twitching, just sudden bursts of twitching." She finally looked over at him and he could see fear in her eyes. "Is he..." Her voice broke and she couldn't finish.

"He's alive, but it's critical." She nodded silently and he could see the tears welling in her eyes.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"We caught the unsub, he murdered women and his wife cleaned up after him. We had to arrest them both. Reid went to secure the kid, he was 14 and his girl friend was with him. He was angry, said we destroyed his family. Reid tried to talk him down but the kid stabbed him. Reid was forced to shoot him. He was losing consciousness when I got to him and the kid was dead. His girlfriend holding him and crying, Emily had to subdue her. The doctors took him to surgery ad soon as he was stable enough for it. He lost a lot of blood, the next 24 hours are critical but he's fighting. The doctors think it's better to keep him sedated." He saw her move to speak. "Non narcotic drugs only." He said to stop her. She nodded taking it all in.

"Where is he?"

"He's here; he wasn't stable enough to medi-vac until this morning. Em mentioned that your sister is a surgeon at this hospital so we came here."

"Did he tell you we've been fighting over names?" She asked looking away from him.

"No, why are you fighting?"

"Every time I suggest a name he goes into the origin and meaning. If anyone in history who did something relatively shitty had that name then we have to change it. We fought over biblical names and hippie names. I said I wanted to name her Giovanna or Azaria, the second is two Italian names put together. Zaria means dawning and Aria means melody. Giovanna means gift from God. Then there is Valentina which means brave and Skyler which means which means guarded scholar. It's so much to think about. We haven't even picked nursery colors, he thinks pink is okay if it's a girl but I want purple. We argue over everything but it's always with stupid smiles on our faces. I can't lose him Derek. I can't. I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to survive something like this." Somewhere in the middle of talking about baby names Ella started crying. By the end she was sobbing. Morgan did the only thing he could think to do; he hugged her and let her cry against his chest. He was off in his own world whispering to her that everything was going to be alright when he heard the fetal heart monitor beep. He pulled away worried to see what was wrong. "She's fine, practically doing cartwheels. I've been lying down so she had a field day." She was about to pull the IV out when he stopped her.

"Where the hell are you going?" She looked up at him and it was a look that said he already knew the answer. Now something Reid had said to him made sense. She didn't have to yell or scream 90% of the time; she could say everything she wanted to say with a look. He pushed her back and held her to the bed even when she looked at him like he was evil. "My best friend is in a hospital bed fighting for his life. I'll be damned if I'm gonna let the woman he loves who happens to be carrying his baby, run off and hurt herself because she won't listen to her doctors. I have to protect you and Aria Valentina Skylar Giovanna Reid." She stopped fussing and laid back as the nurses rushed in. he could tell she really didn't want to but as long as she was complying he was ok. The doctors wanted to keep her under observation; those were the wrong words to use with Michaela Prentiss right now. She was bitching pretty hard until Isla showed up. She pulled strings and got Ella a wheelchair. Morgan left so she could get dressed. They were letting her wear her own clothes because she wouldn't stop fussing until they did. When he came back in he cracked up laughing. On top of her black sweat pants and tan Uggs, she was wearing a white t-shirt that said "it's all fun and games till someone gets pollinated." There was a picture of a happy sunflower and then an unhappy one with a bird on it and bees flying toward it. Garcia had found all of these hilarious maternity t-shirts and Ella loved him. They helped Reid win the maternity clothes battle he had been fighting during the second trimester. He motioned for her to get into the wheelchair and she gave him a look that should have set him on fire. He didn't know what it was with Prentiss women and wheelchairs. They really seemed to hate them. She finally climbed in and he pushed the chair to Reid's room. She was silent, he expected her to fuss but she didn't. She didn't say a word. "I see Garcia finally got you to wear one of the t-shirts."

"Yeah," he noticed her voice was shaky. "My favorite says something like "Touching my belly will be the last thing you ever do. Now hand over the ice cream and I won't hurt you."

"Reid likes the one that say "The Force is strong with this one" with the arrow pointing towards your belly. He has a picture of you wearing it on his desk." The mindless talk about her t-shirts got them to the room. Ella stared at the door as Morgan came around to look at her. "Are you gonna be okay?" He asked before she met her eyes. There was fear and sadness written all over her face. If he hadn't felt guilty before he felt it then. She simply nodded and he pushed her into the room.

"Hey, Spence." Ella began after Morgan left her alone. Spencer looked pale and fragile with all the tubes coming from him. They had just taken him off the medicine keeping him unconscious. It was up to him to wake up on his own. "I may have freaked out a little bit earlier. When you didn't call before you went to arrest someone I knew something was wrong. We've talked about this Dolce; you're not allowed to die. We have a little girl coming and we haven't even picked out a name or nursery colors yet. I can't do this without you." Tears were starting to slide down her cheeks as she reached out and grabbed his hand. It was warm, that was a good sign. She half expected his hand to be cold because of all the blood loss. "They tell me it might take you days to wake up. I'm giving you 48 hours. After that I'm naming our daughter Giovanna, or maybe Aria. I also like Skylar and Sophia. I need your input, Carissimo." Now she was sobbing. She pressed the back of his hand against her cheek before kissing it. "You can't do this to us. We need you, Spence. So wake up, damn it!" She wasn't sure how long she'd been sobbing against her fiancé's hand when she felt someone else's rubbing her back soothingly. Too bad it didn't sooth her much.

"When is the last time you ate?" Emily asked brushing her fingers through Ella's hair.

"This morning, I think. Em, did that girl try to help him?"

"She was wrapped up in her own misery. If Reid stabbed someone and that person shot Reid, what would you do? Would you help the man who just killed the man you love?"

"That depends entirely on why Spencer stabbed him." Ella replied frowning at her sister. "Was he a serial killer? Did he attack Spence first? Did I just sit there and let Spencer stab someone? That would suggest that I thought he was justified in stabbing him. That would mean he did something to warrant me and Spencer thinking he deserved to be stabbed. I need more information before I can answer that question." She looked up at Emily after she finished and noticed the odd smile on her face. "What?"

"You two are perfect for each other. Come on, we need to get some food in you." Ella shook her head when Emily tried to pull the wheelchair away. "Michaela Rose Prentiss, don't shake your head at me. My niece needs food and I won't let you starve her."

"Em, I got her." Derek said from the door. Emily looked at him and Ella noticed it wasn't completely friendly. "She has food in her room."

"If you think I'm eating hospital food, Derek Morgan, you've got another thing coming."

"I know, your sister said something about a burger the size of your face. Garcia told me the way to your heart is through red velvet cupcakes." Ella looked at him over her shoulder before looking back at Spencer. Her stomach growled reminding her that she was hungry. If it was just her she wouldn't eat.

"I don't want to leave him."

"Emily will look after him until you finish eating. I got something for you but you have to come to your room to get it." Ella looked back at him.

"Do I at least get to walk back to my room?"

"You have to stay off your feet, so you stay in the wheelchair."

"You suck, Derek Morgan." She said sniffling quietly. "Remember what I said, Spence, you have 48 hours." She let Derek pull her out of the room. He was about to push her down the hall when Emily stopped him.

"Can I talk to you?" He looked at her and Ella got the feeling she was missing something.

"Yeah, walk and talk." He said pushing the chair again.

"In private, I need to talk to you in private." Derek stopped like he was about talk but then kept moving.

"Stop." Ella said at a normal decibel but Derek didn't listen. "I said STOP, damn it!" Finally he stopped and sighed deeply. "Did you have sex with her?"

"What?" Ella pushed herself out of the chair and turned to face her friend.

"Is that why her panties are in such an intricate twist?"

"We can talk about this while you eat."

"We can talk about this now." She commanded staring the larger man down.

"Ella, sit in the damn chair." Morgan sighed and folded his arms. Ella didn't find it the least bit menacing.

"Derek, start talking!" He sighed again and looked at her.

"Sit in the fucking chair and I will." Ella turned around and started walking slowly toward her destination. "Nurse! You see that pregnant woman walking down the hall. She's supposed to be off her feet but she won't listen to me." Ella heard him say behind her back but she kept walking swearing all the way. The nurse caught up to her easily and fussed at her until she sat in the chair. When the nurse walked away leaving Derek to push her she was so pissed there should have steam coming out of her ears.

"Fucking asshole douchebag." She snapped folding her arms.

"Yeah, I know."

* * *

Morgan watched her eat; more than likely cursing the day he was born. She was so unhappy with him he could practically hear her cursing in her head. He wondered quietly how his friend got anything he wanted with a woman as strong as Ella. She was almost finished her food when he finally decided to give her something to cheer her up. She wasn't speaking to him; she'd even given up on asking what was going on with him and Emily. He reached to pick up the container holding mostly crumbs and a pickle and she smacked his hand away. He held up the cupcakes and held back a smile when her eyes landed on them. He took away the container and gave her the cupcakes. Reid had mentioned that red velvet cake had been like her crack since before she figured out she was pregnant. She took one and put the rest aside and looked at him. It was a hostile and irritated look. He once again wondered how his best friend stayed on her good side. He pulled a black plastic bag out from under his chair and handed it to her. She stared at him for a second before opening the bag and looking inside. She pulled out the magazines and smiled. He'd gotten her magazines to help her pick stuff out for the nursery. Her baby shower was in two weeks, Garcia had been using them to shop. She started flipping through one before looking back up at him. Her eyes had gone glassy with unshed tears as she put the magazines back in the bag. She turned around to face him, her legs hanging off the bed.

"Derek, this is not your fault." He looked down and away. He'd laughed at Reid when he called her a mind reader. His best friend had been right; the woman knew exactly where his head was.

"I sent him in there without back up. I knew something wasn't right about that kid but I couldn't put my finger on it." She shook her head and reached out for his hands. Morgan looked down and rung them together before placing them in hers.

"You didn't know. You work with a slew of other profilers, one of them notably a genius, and they didn't know either. This is not your fault. I'm learning that Spence has the worse luck when it comes to these sorts of things. I will tell you like I always end up telling him. You are human; you are allowed to make mistakes. But this isn't one of them, you didn't know. This isn't your fault. And I am not your responsibility."

"I owe him, until he wakes up you are my responsibility. Same goes for baby Reid in your belly." She felt around on her belly before grabbing his hand. She put two fingers on a spot she chose. He was about to protest when he felt a steady thump against his fingers. He looked up at her and his eyes were blurry.

"That's where her heart is. You see, we're just fine. Stop worrying." He nodded and let his hand fall away. "Can you take me back now?"

"What? You're not going to fight me about the wheelchair?"

"So you can sic another scary nurse on me, I don't thinks so. I'm not an invalid and I know I can walk and be fine. But you people refuse to listen to me, so in the interest of saving time I give. For now." With that she stood up and sat in the chair with the bag of magazines. "Now come on before I change my mind and decide to start bitching again."

"Yes mam."


	16. He Won't Go

**A/N: I'm sorry this took so long guys. It was supposed to be out much sooner. This is the second part of the last chapter even thought it has a different name. The good news is that the next chapter is almost done. I'm estimating about four more chapters but it might be five including an Epilogue. He Won't Go is a song by Adele, I'm sure you've figured out by now that I love her music. The story at the end in Italics is _The Cask of Amontillado _by Edgar Allen Poe. Enjoy.**

_"The worst lies are the lies we tell ourselves. We live in denial of what we do, even what we think. We fear we will not find love, and when we find it we fear we'll lose it. We fear that if we do not have love we will be unhappy."_

_~Richard Bach_

They were 36 hours into the 48 hours Ella had given Spencer to wake up. The only sign he'd given her that he was trying was when he squeezed her hand. When they finally released her from the hospital she hadn't gone far. Emily had threatened to call their mother to irritate Ella if she didn't go home. Ella reminded her sister that she too would have to suffer if she called their mother. Her argument effectively ended the threat. Derek hadn't left her side for more than 2 hours at a time. She'd tried to get him to go do something besides shower and change but he wasn't listening anymore than she was. She had a plan that might work but for now they were looking for ideas for the nursery. He was doing his best to make up for something that wasn't his fault. And Emily was hostile and rude most of the time. Derek had yet to tell her what was going on between the two of them. Emily was sitting in a chair on the opposite site of Spencer's bed from Ella and Derek. Ella was teasing him about having babies of his own saying her and Spencer's baby girl needed friends.

"You sound like my mother." He responded shaking his head. Ella laughed putting a little neon yellow sticky dot next to a picture of a pretty purple and brown nursery.

"You should do it; you would be a great dad. I should know you've babied me enough over the last 48 hours." Derek chuckled as she showed him another nursery. It was mostly blue but full of flowers.

"I thought blue was for boys."

"That's normally the case; this one is a little suspicious. I could deal with this amount of pink." The pink in the room was bright but broken up by greens and yellows.

"It looks cheery, isn't that what you want for a baby room?" He said shrugging.

"You are really bad at this." She said smiling at him. "It's okay, you're a man. If you were too good at this I would worry. As it is Spencer mostly nods and tells me what color can do for the emotional well being of someone who will see blurry black and white for the first few months of her life."

"That sounds like something Pretty Boy would say."

"Can I ask why you call him Pretty Boy?"

"It's just the nickname I gave him mostly because he's always dressed up; he gets hit on by every hooker within a thirty mile radius of him. And I know it might be a sore subject but after how he met Lila it just seemed like the perfect name for him." Ella nodded putting another bright yellow sticker on a page full of stencils to paint letters on the wall.

"Does Emily have a nickname?"

"I call her Princess and Garcia is Baby girl."

"What are Hotch and Dave's nicknames?"

"Well Hotch is Hotch. I think that's nickname enough for him. To tease Rossi lately we've been calling him Grandpa Dave." Ella laughed out loud.

"I'm sure he loves that. An old school player like Dave being called Grandpa, that's funny." Emily slammed her book shut in front of them and Ella gave her an irritated look. She was acting like a prepubescent child who couldn't get her way.

"He smiles and winks at some of these women and I swear they lose their minds." Derek swooped in to save the day. Ella took a deep breath and it came out a long sigh. She had to stay calm for the baby.

"I bet. Hey, can you do this?" Ella asked showing him a picture of a room. There was a cherry tree in full bloom painted on the wall.

"No but I know someone who can. I just finished your bathroom, woman. I'm not messing with you anymore."

"Hey that wasn't just for me. That was also for my fiancé. You know the one that likes to chase bad guys with a bad knee. He does too much and then he comes home limping."

"So the claw foot tub big enough to fit you and two other people was for Reid's knee? That's what you're really trying to tell me?" Ella grinned at him looking over at Spencer's still sleeping form. He'd gotten his color back, he wasn't as pale anymore. It was strange, he sighed in his sleep sometimes. Ella couldn't help wondering what he was dreaming about. She just wanted him to wake up. She tried not to think about it too hard to keep from bursting into tears with a room full of people watching and feeling sorry for her. She kept trying to talk Derek out of his guilt but he was just as stubborn as she was. He was the big brother, the protector. He felt like it was his job to keep everyone safe and she loved him for it. She was happy he was going to be in her daughter's life. He was going to make an amazing Godfather. Spencer just needed to agree.

"There are other uses I can think of. The shower, however, has several uses. I had that system in my condo. With all the heads and good water pressure it's really good at washing away tension." He nodded quietly. He was starting to get that guilty look again. She smacked his arm to get his attention and shook her head. He rolled his eyes but nodded.

"So you two have inside jokes now. How adorable?" Emily seethed.

"What the hell is your problem? You've had something stuck up your ass since I got to the hospital." Ella was tired and irritated. Her daughter was resting but Ella knew that was only until she ate again. She didn't feel like dealing with anything until Spencer woke up.

"You two are over there buddying up to each other. He's your new biggest fan. He's not dead! So stop trying to move in on his girl!"

"Are you serious?"

"She is just upset." Derek defended Emily.

"You're damn right I'm upset. You obviously have a thing for my sister. That's why you keep running to her rescue. Too bad you didn't do a very good job last time."

"You have to be the worst profiler ever. Do you know what guilt looks like? This isn't about Morgan is it?"

"Ella its okay. Emily has explained to me what she feels."

"How can you just act like nothing is wrong? He should be awake by now Ella? You know that right? Do you even care?" That may have been the wrong thing to say to a pregnant woman trying to stay calm so she didn't end up on bed rest again.

"Fuck you, Emily! You think I forgot that the man I love is lying in a hospital bed! I have been here as much as I can. I'm doing my best to stay calm because that's what my daughter needs! Morgan feels guilty! He thinks this is fault, what you just saw was me reminding him that it isn't. Mind your own damn business." It was at that moment that Ella realized something. She kicked herself for yelling at her when she did. She took a deep breath to calm herself before she spoke again. "Em, you know this isn't your fault either. Morgan didn't do anything wrong when he came to tell me. I was already worked up. Everyone told me to calm down but I was scared. My blood pressure shot through the roof. I should have tried harder to calm down. That's why I'm trying so hard now."

"I let him go because he said he would take care of you. You passed out El; he should have calmed you down."

"No one could have calmed me down except Spencer! Don't you get it, I was already worked up. I felt like something was wrong." Ella regretted screaming when she felt the baby jump and twitch. She had been asleep but she wasn't anymore.

"I should've said something." Morgan said quietly.

"What?"

"When you asked me where he was I should have said something."

"Oh my God! Will you two please stop with all the misguided guilt? Shit happens, sad but true. It's not fair and it sucks but it's the truth."

"How can you be so cavalier about this?"

"I'm not being cavalier, Em. I'm being practical right now, something that's normally Spencer's job. I have to stay calm or I'll end up stuck in a hospital room again with Derek looming like a bouncer by the door. I'm waiting for my fiancé to wake up. His arm and hand are healing well, they were defensive wounds. He kept that kid from killing him. I know he's strong and I have to keep telling myself that. I have to remind myself that he can do just about anything and I know he won't leave me and the baby without a fight. I know he's fighting, he has to. I can't deal with you right now. I want to, I want to go into all the ways this isn't your fault. I want to tell Derek that he couldn't control a room he wasn't even in. But my focus is on him. I'm trying to control myself so he has a daughter to wake up too. She needs me to stay calm so that's what I'm going to do. You think you're the only one that feels guilty about the condition I'm in? My only job right now is taking care of her and I almost screwed that up. So can we please can all the emotional bull shit until after I pop the kid out. For now just help me pick out a fucking nursery. That's all I want. Help me." She was out of breath when she finished fussing. She turned back to her magazine calmly pretending not to see the looks passed back and forth between Emily and Derek. They went back to looking at nursery's after that without anymore arguments from Emily. Derek was relieved from babysitting Ella when Aubrey showed up with a bag full of her mother's cooking.

"Your kitchen is completely full, just so you know. My mom wanted to help you seeing as you are her other daughter. My brothers' are helping Tate put together your furniture so you'll have a home to go to whenever you decide to go home. Which I hope will be tonight."

"I'm not leaving until he wakes up and I know he's going to be okay. I would never forgive myself if I left and…" she couldn't even finish the sentence. Her eyes welled with tears for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "I can't leave him, he needs me." Aubrey gave her a sad smile and pushed her hair away from her face.

"I had a feeling you'd say that. So I brought you some clothes and enough food to last you a couple of days. Isla is keeping the rest of the food in the doctor's lounge but she told me to bring this to you. It's mom's lobster ravioli in white sauce. She brought it from her restaurant." Ella nodded and kissed her best friend on the cheek. She'd been working overtime since Ella couldn't really fly off like she used too. She had all these people around her trying to help her but the one person she really needed was fighting for his life. She smiled for Aubrey to make her happy and then asked to be alone. She was tired of the endless parade sad smiles. She loved them, all of them but she needed to be alone with Spencer. Not long after Aubrey left Morgan came in to tell Ella they had a case and they had to leave. He told her that if she needed him to he would stay and she'd told him to go. It had taken an extra stern look from Hotch to get him to leave but eventually he did. As soon as Morgan left the tears came back in full force. She wasn't doing a good job of holding it together.

"Hey baby, it's just me and you now. The team had a case; Hotch pretty much had to threaten Morgan to get him away from your bed side. He feels so guilty, you have to wake up and tell him it's not his fault. Em was pissed at him because she blamed him for something that was my fault. When you didn't call me I freaked out. I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach. I know I screwed up by letting my emotions put the baby in danger. I didn't know it was that bad until the doctors told me later. I almost sent myself into early labor. The doctor is still coming in here to check on me. You just…you can't die Spence. Our daughter needs her daddy, so you have to wake up now." This was a part of his job and she knew that. She had accepted it but seeing him in that hospital bed broke her heart. The idea of losing him was what made her pass out in the first place. She stood up so she could pace rubbing her swollen belly. "We're going to be okay, honey. I promise you. He just needs time and we can give him that. I need you to stay in there for the next eight to ten weeks and finish cooking. I need you to be strong and healthy and so does your daddy. He's going to pull through like he always does and he's going to be back to reading you stories in no time. You're not the only one who finds it hard to sleep without hearing his voice." She felt what she could swear was the baby's foot press against her hand. She had to sit down because whatever X Games stunt her daughter pulled in her belly made her nauseous. "I don't know what that was; I'm guessing it was your way of showing support, but it made me want to throw up. Easy on the cartwheels in there kid." Ella leaned against the bed putting her head down on it. She was so tired and her eyes were heavy but she didn't want to sleep. She wanted to be awake when he woke up. She didn't know how long she had been awake but it didn't matter. He needed her to be awake. All her fighting didn't help though; it wasn't long before she fell into a fitful sleep. She didn't wake up until she felt something strange. She could have sworn someone was stroking her head and scratching her scalp. She tried to claw her way back to consciousness but it didn't work. She woke up a while later to a hand stroking her cheek. It took her mind a few minutes to process that though it was normal for to wake up like that she hadn't since Spencer had been in the hospital. The moment she had the though her eyes snapped open. His eyes were still closed but he was rubbing circles on her cheek with his thumb. She wanted to call his name but no sound would come out. She closed her eyes tight to hold back the onslaught of tears that overcame her. She was crying so hard her body was shaking. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't get herself to stop.

"Was my time up?" Spencer asked her wiping tears off her cheek with his thumb. Hearing his voice just made her cry harder. She'd been so scared that he wouldn't wake up. They kept telling her that it would happen at any moment. She kept thinking that maybe he really didn't want to come back to her and that's why he hadn't woken up yet. She looked at her watch and then looked up at him. His eyes were on her, he still looked groggy, but he was looking at her.

"No, you still had an hour or so." She didn't think he really heard her.

"Truthfully I've been awake for a while, I just let you sleep. You were snoring softly so I knew you were tired. How long have you been here?" He was talking but she was still crying. She stood up and peppered his face with kisses. When she finally kissed his lips she kissed him harder than she really meant to. She hadn't even noticed his heart rate had gone up until one of the nurses came in. When she pulled away his cheeks were flushed and he was a little breathless.

"You can't do that in here or right now. He needs his rest as do you." The nurse scolded. Ella nodded without looking away from Spencer. He didn't look away from her either.

"I'm sorry, I think I scared her." Spencer replied looking for an answer from Ella, she simply nodded not trusting her voice. "It's my fault, I should've known. He wasn't acting right. He was fidgeting and his eyes were unfocused. I should've known." He was ready to continue talking before she kissed him again. The nurse cleared her throat from the door and Ella did her best not to look at her. She knew the look wouldn't be friendly at all.

"You know, since we've been together I haven't gotten along with a single nurse." She said softly in his ear. He started to chuckle but then groaned in pain. It was a parade of doctors after the nurse left. Ella made all the important calls after she cried her eyes out in the hallway. She didn't worry Spencer any more than she had Derek let out the longest sigh of relief she'd ever heard and Garcia squealed so loud it hurt her ears. William Reid and Vivian showed up somewhere in the middle of her making calls. She let William have some alone time with his son even though she never wanted to leave his side again. Vivian was way too excited to rub Ella's belly, despite the fact that it drove her crazy. She mentioned something about being a grandmother that Ella was really happy Spencer didn't hear. It was maybe three hours later before she was alone with her fiancé again. She was doing what she normally did when she was internally freaking out, she cleaned. His eyes followed her around the room even though she'd told him to go back to sleep. He mentioned having enough rest to last him a couple of days. He called her a name a few times to get her to stop but she kept telling him she would in a minute.

"Michaela!" he called finally making her freeze. She wasn't good at this. She was tired and her nerves were frazzled. She was barely thinking straight as it was and she would give just about anything for a drink or coffee.

"Please don't ask me to stop again. I need to be able to fix something and I can't fix you." Her voice wasn't as strong as she wanted it to be. She wanted to sound sure; she wanted to sound like she was handling this better than she was. Ella had done well with the parade of people, she could handle that. Being alone with him when she'd come way too close to losing him was something else entirely.

"You don't have to fix me, I'm fine."

"There is a hole in your stomach that proves otherwise." She said quietly folding her clothes.

"I'm more worried about you. How long have you been here?"

"Almost as long as you." He took a deep breath and then gasped because it hurt. Ella stopped what she was doing and looked up at him to make sure he was okay.

"Are you going to tell me?" He asked wincing all the while. She gave him a look of complete confusion before motioning for him to continue. "Are you going to tell me what happened to make the nurses tell you that you need to rest?"

"My blood pressure was high." That was an understatement and the look on his face said he knew it. "I got worked up when you didn't call me. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach and I couldn't calm down. Morgan came to tell me that you got hurt and I was already all worked up. Before he could tell me anything I passed out and he had to get me to a hospital. I'm fine and so is the baby but I had to bitch the doctors into letting me stay in your room and not in my own room. They didn't let me out officially until about 12 hours before you woke up. Even then I still had to stay off my feet. I'm not really supposed to be on them now but if I sit still I'll go crazy."

"Arden, Hadley, Skylar, and Lennon." Ella stopped what she was doing and looked up at him confused. "Names for our daughter, you wanted to pick one." He changed the subject for her. She would have to remember to thank him for that later.

"I like all of them, I think if we change the way we spell them we could make it more suited for a girl."

"I think her middle name should be Giovanna, all the names sound good with it."

"I like Skylar the most."

"Me two, we can call her Sky for short just like in your ring." He moved over and made room for her to climb in the bed next to him. She thought about telling him no before she had an idea. She dug into her suitcase for a book and handed it to him before she climbed in the bed with him. She lay on her side facing him enjoying the feeling of him rubbing her belly. He was the only one she really allowed to do it. A smile spread across his face as the baby kicked in response. "I missed you too, Skye." He said softly pressing a kiss to Ella's forehead. She hid her face so he couldn't see the tears falling down her face. He opened the book and started reading_. "THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that gave utterance to a threat." _Even with sleep seeping to every part of her simply at the sound of his voice as he read she had a bad feeling. This time was too close, he was awake and he was ok. She couldn't help the feeling in the pit of her stomach that one day she was really gonna lose him. If that day came she wasn't sure she would survive.


	17. That's What You Get

**A/N: Okay my lovelies, here's the next chapter. I worked extra hard to finish it for all of you who have been following my story. I'm gonna be honest, I don't know how long it takes for a stab wound to heal but I know how long it take to heal after surgery. That's What You Get is a song by Paramore. We've pretty much established that I love them two. I'm working on the next chapter so hopefully it will be up soon. Enjoy. Also, I apologize for any grammatical errors, it's late and proofreading isn't my strong suit.**

_"Loving can cost a lot but not loving always costs more, and those who fear to love often find that want of love is an emptiness that robs the joy of life."_

_~Merle Shain_

He wasn't sure what woke him up. He hadn't been having a nightmare even though on more than one occasion he had relived that day. He would wake up soar, pain throbbing in his hand, arm, and abdomen. He was completely healed but still had phantom pains where he now only had scars. Reid couldn't figure out why he was awake. It wasn't Tempest or Bolt, the two German Sheppard guard dogs they'd adopted; he was used to the two of them being his alarm clock. They were two years old and way to hyper. Bolt, the boy, tended to follow Reid around and sit at his feet. Tempest, the girl, was Ella's personal shadow. He opened his eyes and reached for his fiancé but her side of the bed was cold. That's why he was awake; he had trouble feeling safe when she wasn't around. It was the reason he was freaked out about going back to work. He would be on desk duty for at least two more months but after that he didn't know. He sat up and flexed his hand. He rubbed the scar on his palm and stood up motioning for Bolt to follow. It was still dark but the sound of the rain falling on their house made him smile. He checked the nursery for her first. They had just put the furniture in. She got her way; there wasn't a lot of pink. The walls were a silvery shade of purple, it was closer to grey. There was a white cherry blossom tree with purple and pink flowers on the wall. They had spent a full day placing the stickers. There were also white and purple butterflies, and Skylar's name was printed on the wall in big white letters. There was a day bed in the room as well as a rocking chair in addition to the baby furniture. He kept going down the hall checking her office. She wasn't there either. He checked the kitchen and the living room where he finally found her. She was sitting on the window seat nursing a cup of steaming liquid. She had gone to bed in a sleeveless purple night shirt that bared most of her back. She'd covered it with one of his cardigans and he loved seeing her in it. She was rubbing her belly watching the rain fall. There was a flash of lightning and a roll of thunder so loud car alarms went off.

"Tesoro, its 4 am. What are you doing up?" He asked quietly sitting down in front of her. She looked at him and handed him her tea. If he was up when she was she always shared.

"I couldn't sleep." She was still rubbing her belly.

"What's wrong?" She shook her head to say nothing but he gave her a look and she sighed.

"My belly is really hard and feels really tight. It doesn't hurt its just sort of uncomfortable." She grabbed his hand and put it on her belly so he could feel. It was rock solid.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Because you were sleeping peacefully, you weren't having a nightmare. You've had a lot lately. I'm okay, go back to bed." She was 38 weeks pregnant but doing everything in her power to take care of him. It felt backwards to him, he should be taking care of her. Her baby shower was in about 8 hours, she needed rest.  
"You should have woke me up, El." He whispered rubbing her belly. It felt strange to him, he couldn't imagine how it felt for her. He felt it relax for a second before it hardened again. She took a deep breath and blew it out.

"The doctor told us to expect this, they're Braxton Hicks contractions. My body is practicing to get her out. It's just hard to sleep like this. You don't have to suffer with me. That's why I didn't wake you up." She'd been doing this a lot. Lying to make him feel better. He hated it. She was so worried about him she would rather suffer alone than bother him.

"I wish you would stop that." She looked away staring out the window again. "Michaela, look at me, please." She looked at him but he could tell she was reluctant to do so. "Come back to bed with me." He stood up and offered her a hand. She took it and he followed her up the steps. He sat down on their huge king sized bed and sat up the pillows behind him while she went to the bathroom. When she came out he was waiting for her. She climbed on the bed and sat between his legs leaning back against his chest. He brushed her hair over one shoulder before kissing her temple, cheek, and neck.

"Watch it doctor, I'm too uncomfortable to ravage you." He snorted his hands finding her belly.

"Well, there's a first time for everything. I never thought there would be a day where you were too anything for sex."

"Well, I guess being extremely pregnant isn't the same aphrodisiac it was a week ago. Now I just want this kid out. I love her dearly but she is killing me. I can't sleep, and there's so much pressure on my groin I half expect her to just fall out." Her belly was still incredibly hard as he rubbed it trying to help her relax."And you're one to talk, Mr. 'If you're gentle with me we can do it in my hospital bed'. I keep telling you that you're the insatiable one between us."

"I don't disagree, I'm just not used to you telling me no." He joked pressing another kiss to her cheek.

"Watching you bleed to death would put a damper on the mood." She said pushing his hands away. She pushed herself off the bed not excepting any help from him and left the room. He got up and followed her even though she wouldn't let him help her. Every time he tried she shoved his hands away. "Go back to bed, Spencer." He winced hearing his name. She was pissed and he wasn't even sure what he did to piss her off. She grabbed some stuff out of the fridge and pulled out a frying pan. He watched her start making pancakes, bacon, potatoes, and eggs. He knew better than to try and take anything away unless he really wanted to lose a hand. He watched her cook offering her help only to have her look at him with eyes full of annoyance. She put a plate in front of him and he ate even though he wasn't hungry. She sat down and ate with him finally letting him touch her. When she was done she stood up and kissed him long and hard. Something about the kiss worried him. It was the same way she kissed him when he was leaving for a case. He never realized that she tended to kiss him like she was never gonna see him again. He reached for her hand and waited for to finally look up at him. She wasn't pissed at him anymore but what he saw wasn't less alarming. There was pure unadulterated fear in her eyes.

"I'm gonna go take a bath and try to rest before everyone gets here." She gave him another long slow kiss leaving him breathless. "You know I love you so much, right?"

"Yeah, I know. I love you too. You would tell me if something is wrong with you or the baby, right?"

"Spence, relax. We're fine." She went to pull away and he wouldn't let her. She kissed him on the cheek and pulled away again. He let her go but he couldn't help feeling like he was missing something.

* * *

He cleaned up the kitchen before going up stairs. He walked in their room and paced for a few minutes trying to figure out what to do. Finally he opened the door and walked in the bathroom. Ella was laid out in their huge claw foot tub, her belly the only thing poking out of the water besides her head. Her eyes were closed and she was wearing headphones. Her eyes opened and she looked up at him. She was putting on a good show but the fear was still there. When he really thought about it he realized it had been there for a while. He motioned with his hands asking if he could join her. She nodded and moved to give him room. He stripped and climbed in behind her. Ella let him pull her back till she was settled against him. She even let him take her headphones away. Instead of trying to talk to her he started washing her hair. Her hair was once again reaching toward her waist. The ends now fell below her waist and she was threatening to chop it all off. It took him until the second rinse to realize she was crying. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hair.

"Tell me what I did so I can fix it." He whispered holding on to her.

"You didn't do anything wrong." She replied after a few moments.

"Then what's wrong, baby?" She started shaking her head to tell him nothing was wrong. "Ella, I'm okay. You don't have to walk on eggshells around me." She pulled away and moved to get out of the tub. He caught her and pulled her back into his arms gently. Truthfully she hadn't put up much of a fight. Instead of being between his legs she was on his lap. He held her to his body feeling every sob that left her. He had a feeling she'd been holding this in for the last two months too, worrying about him. He should have said something sooner. "Sweetheart, it's okay. I'm okay." She tried to say something but it came out as a sob. He was pretty sure he knew what she said though. "What?"

"This time! You're okay this time. What happens when you aren't so lucky? What do I tell Skylar? I don't know what I would do without you. I haven't been able to think about anything but how I felt when I thought you were dead."

"I'm sorry." She shook her head again and finally relaxed against him.

"I know you didn't get cut up on purpose and I know you don't want to leave me but I get scared. I'm terrified that I'm gonna lose you. I'm so dependent on you, if I lose you..." He pressed his face against hers and rubbed her belly. It was still pretty hard but not as much.

"You and Skylar are the most important things in my life now. I'm not going anywhere. No matter what happens or where I go I promise to do everything in my power to come back to you. You are my heart, Ella. You're the mother of my child, the love of my life, and in June you'll be my wife. You aren't getting rid of me any time soon. I'm sorry I scared you, I scared me too."

"I would never ask you to quit your job, but it scared the shit out of me Spence."

"I know. You've been holding this in for two months?"

"My fear was my problem, not yours. I needed to help you get better and I needed to stay calm for Skylar."

"Your problems are my problems, Tesoro. I've been so worried about you." He whispered in her ear as he started washing her. The soap had a clean fruity scent that he liked on her but not on him.

"I'm sorry I worried you, that's exactly what I was trying not to do." Her head fell back on against his shoulder while he cleaned her breasts and belly. She was holding back, he knew what she needed. She had been tense since the week before. That was the last time she really let him touch her. He slowed his touches when her breathing hitched from his fingers brushing her nipples.

"I need to get out so I can reach the rest of you."

"I can wash myself, Dolce." She purred moving to let him out.

"I know you can, but you have barely let me touch you for a week."

"That's because I can barely walk, let alone anything significantly more fun." Her voice had gone breathy and sultry. He was out of the tub and cleaning her legs as slowly and sensuous as possible. "Dolce," came her breathy response to his touches. He moved and captured her lips sweeping his tongue in when she opened up for him. His hand slipped between her legs as hers slipped into his hair. He pulled away relishing the breathy sigh that left her.

"I think you should let me spend the next hour or so putting you to sleep." She chuckled and nodded. Reid kissed her again fully intending to keep his word.

* * *

Hours later Ella was knocked out and Reid was on his way to let Garcia, Emily, and Isla in. All three women were excited to set up for Ella's baby shower. He shushed them pointing up stairs to let them know the guest of honor was still asleep and watched as they set up. Bolt hung around his feet looking at all the new people with distrust. He even growled at Garcia. Reid couldn't help but laugh giving the dog a calming scratch behind the ears. When people started showing up with arms full of presents he decided it was time to get Ella. He made her exactly eight ounces of coffee and brought it to her upstairs. He was hoping she was still sleep but of course she wasn't. She was sitting at her vanity in a pair of jeans and a bra with a head full of rollers putting on makeup. He moved behind her kissing her shoulder and then her cheek.

"Mmmmm, just the man I want to see. I will personally bare your children if you help me put my boots on."

"Personally bare my children, now that's an offer I can't refuse." He helped her put on her tan boots and she pulled on her t-shirt. It was purple v-neck with flutter sleeves and it hugged her belly and curves. She had searched for something to wear for the baby shower on the internet and bought three different colors when she found it. "Are you ready for this?"

"Are you kidding? This is the easy part; the women come and tell me I only look pregnant in profile even though it's not true. They buy us stuff and wait on me hand and foot. The guys come and tell you how lucky you are that you knocked me up. They pat you on the back and give you cigars even though you don't smoke. There will be jokes about you being very accurate when shooting and you'll blush adorably like you are now. Then we kick them out and sleep. Did I mention the free stuff?" Reid chuckled zipping one of her boots.

"You make it sound so fun."

"It will be, you'll see." The party went off without a hitch…for a while. There was no drama until her mother and father showed up. Ella was happily opening presents surrounded my giggling women. There were oohs and ahhs all around as she pulled out pretty baby clothes and laid them on her belly. Reid had noticed that she had winced a couple of times but thought nothing of it. He walked in the kitchen to find Isla fixing her sister a plate with Ethan unbelievably close behind her. He heard what sounded suspiciously like the giggle that escapes Ella whenever Reid says or does something especially dirty and decided to beat a hasty retreat. He'd been in the den when things went south with Morgan, Hotch, Rossi, Will, Kevin, Tate, and Aubrey's new boyfriend Jake. He'd been one of Reid's doctors and had apparently asked her out while he was unconscious. It appeared that Elizabeth had walked into the kitchen only to see Isla making out with Ethan. She'd called Isla something the youngest Prentiss didn't really like and called Ethan something worse. There had been cursing and shouting before he got up. He wanted to stop it before Ella got worked up; she had enough stress to deal with.

"I'm a grown woman; I can kiss whoever I want! Hell if it wasn't for the fact that I have a very pregnant sister who would kill me I would strip him down and mount him right here!" That wasn't good.

"I swear you and your sister. I don't know what has gotten into the two of you. Emily is the only one with any class." Isla rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air.

"Here we go, Isla's a slut and Ella is knocked up. However did they get this way?" Isla said turning her back on her mother. She ran her hand through her hair giving Ethan an apologetic look. Reid went to walk into the kitchen only to be stopped by William Prentiss who still wasn't his favorite person.

"This conversation has nothing to do with you." Reid fought the urge to grind his teeth or hit him. There were very few people he truly wanted to hit and even considered hitting.

"It's happening in my house about 10 feet away from my very pregnant and very stressed out fiancé. I'll be damned if I'm going to let you cause her more pain." He went to move past him but William pushed him away. It just pissed Reid off more.

"This is a family matter."

"This is my house. That is my kitchen and my friend. So therefore we follow my rules; if you don't like it please don't let me stop you from leaving."

"Watch how you talk to me you little shit, this is my daughter's house. I'm pretty sure she paid for it."

"We paid for this house, not you. You don't get to make the rules here. Now either move or leave." The words came out through Reid's clenched jaw. The other man shoved him and he quickly became a part of the problem. He was moving toward him fully intending to do everything in his power to hurt him when Rossi, Hotch, and Morgan appeared holding him back.

"No let him at me, I'll beat the smug out of him." Reid moved forward again but he couldn't get free of the two men.

"You're on my last fucking nerve!"

"The feeling is mutual."

"You might want to leave him alone; he's been training a lot." Rossi mentioned putting a hand on William Prentiss.

"I'm not afraid of him; he doesn't have my daughter to hide behind right now." Reid was about to respond when a very loud whistle silenced everyone. He looked over to find Ella standing up with Aubrey trying to support her.

"I AM SOO NOT IN THE MOOD FOR THIS SHIT RIGHT NOW!" She screamed holding her belly and wincing. Reid moved to go to her but she held up a finger to tell him she wasn't done. "Mom, Iles is a grown woman and so am I. What you think has long since stopped mattering to us. I would prefer she didn't have sex in my kitchen but that's between me and her. Ethan is a good guy and he's unbelievably persistent. He's been back and forth from New Orleans since he met her. Leave him alone. And dad, you can go fuck yourself. While I'm pretty sure my fiancé is more than capable of kicking your ass into next Tuesday I don't want him on your level. Today isn't about either of you; this is about me, Spencer, and Skylar. So, now that I have everyone's undivided attention I suggest we head to a hospital. My water broke about 10 minutes ago while everyone was too busy bitching. As much as I would love to tell all of you to go to hell I need a ride." Reid finally moved to go to her. She grabbed his arm and squeezed swearing under her breath. He tried not to show that she was causing him pain too. She looked up and around and he realized everyone was just looking at them. "Move damn it, these contractions hurt!"


	18. Don't Want To Miss A Thing

**A/N: I think this might be my shortest chapter yet but don't worry. The next one will definitely be longer. I wrote two versions of this chapter and I decided on this one. I hope you like it. Don't Want To Miss A Thing is a song by Aerosmith. I think it fits the moment. I have I think two more chapters and an Epilogue planned so there is more to come. I imagine I would sound a lot like Ella during labor considering I have a jammed finger and I swear about that. Note that I haven't had children so if it's inaccurate, I'm sorry. I once again don't own CM... you know the rest. Enjoy.**

_"A babe in the house is a well-spring of pleasure, a messenger of peace and love, a resting place of innocence on earth, a link between angels and men." _

_~Martin Fraguhar Tupper_

"Son of a fucking bitch!" Ella hissed in pain and Reid flinched. He hated seeing her in pain but she was taking it like a trooper. He was holding her hand and alternated between telling her she was amazing and telling her the history of whatever she asked about.

"Watch your mouth, Michaela." Her mother called from a chair by the window. They were in a special wing of the hospital where they did stuff like water births.

"Go to hell, mom." She ground out through gritted teeth. Reid rolled his eyes hearing both Isla and Emily turn snickers into coughs. Ella turned her head to look at Reid rolling her eyes too.

"Alright El, labor makes women say the damndest things." Isla said under her breath. She was behind Ella rubbing her back. Ella had decided to go through labor without medication after watching a documentary. Seventeen hours into labor she was kicking herself for it. The doctor kept promising her that the water would help once she got in. They had walked around the hospital and sat on a ball that was supposed to help. Ella was worn out but she was still working hard. They'd been up most of the night and Reid knew they were both gonna conk out soon.

"Jesus Christ you're being dramatic."

"Why are you here mom besides the obvious desire to piss me off?" The last three words came out strained as she fought through another contraction.

"I'm here for Skylar of course." She said as though it answered everything. It was the first time Reid got to see how much all three Prentiss daughters sounded like their mother. He wasn't about to say that out loud though, he wanted to live. Ella had already effectively thrown her father out. He wanted to argue with Reid and she wasn't having it.

"Well right now, you are pissing off her mother." And her father, but Reid didn't add to Ella's statement out loud.

"Not to mention both her aunts and her dad is just too nice to say it." Isla added rolling her eyes. Emily simply nodded and Reid realized he was surrounded by unhappy women with no back up.

"She can control herself, she just chooses not to."

"Yes because child birth is so easy." Emily replied sarcastically.

"I had the three of you, I'm aware of the difficulty."

"You also had drugs and silence mother. I don't want to discuss the etiquette of pushing a human being out of my vagina. I want my fiancé to tell me about the history of whatever I ask for because it helps. I enjoy his voice a whole hell of a lot more than yours. He just so happens to be hot too." She said the last part smiling at Reid right before another contraction hit.

"How's everything going in here?" A nurse asked entering the room.

"The next person that asks me that gets shot in the foot." Ella hissed so only Reid could hear. He snorted and ran his hand over her damp hair. He pressed a kiss to her forehead when she whimpered softly. "I'm feeling a lot of pressure like I want to push." The nurse nodded and moved over to check on the pool. "Okay here are the rules. Mom, out. I don't need to deal with you right now. They will come get you after this production of baby's day out is done. Comments about the size of my vagina and never being the same again will be kicked out of the room. Spencer, you are not to look. I need you to find me sexy at some point in the near future. And there is nothing sexy about a head poking out of my crotch." There were snorts and giggles that silenced quickly. Even she snorted after she heard herself.

"That's not what you said…" he would have said something wrong if she hadn't clapped her hand over his mouth. Her mother was still standing there and he'd forgotten. Emily and Isla snickered and Reid blushed. It was about that time that Elizabeth Prentiss decided to beat a hasty retreat giving him a scandalized look. Ella rolled her eyes as Reid helped her up. She was clad only in one of her long black maternity tank tops. He was happy to hear the long sigh of relief that escaped her when she sat in the water. Her two long French braids Isla had helped her make curled in the water. She'd chosen to have him behind her outside of the pool but nearly raised hell so they would give him a chair. She told them he had a bad knee and that he needed the chair but they weren't as worried about his knee as they were about getting the baby out.

"Spencer, tell me the history of the guitar." She said after the nurses told her to start pushing. They looked at her funny right up until Reid started telling her about Guitars.

"Guitars, or guitar like instruments, have been around since ancient times. The first written record of guitars was in the 14th century..." One nurse stared at him as she helped Ella hold her legs back. An hour later she was still pushing and she was tired. He'd never seen anything so amazing. He honestly didn't think he could love her anymore than he did. But watching her work hard to have their daughter just made her more beautiful in his eyes. "Tesoro you are doing so good." He whispered in her ear pushing a stray piece of damp hair away from her face. She took a deep breath before bearing down and pushing. He tried not to laugh at the flurry of curse words that escaped his fiancé. He usually heard those words during sex or when she was mad so it didn't surprise him. It didn't surprise the nurses either.

"Tell me a story." She said softly between pushes.

"TRUE! nervous, very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why WILL you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses, not destroyed, not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How then am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily, how calmly, I can tell you the whole story…" He started telling her The Tell Tale Heart pressing his face to hers as he did. She pushed a few more time before there was a flurry of movement at the other end of the pool. He looked up and met Emily's tear filled eyes.

"You wanna reach down and feel mom?" A nurse asked; the baby's head was out. Ella was squeezing the hell out of Reid's arm before she let go to feel. She reached both hands down and pushed again letting out a sound somewhere between a holler and a growl. With that she pulled Skylar out of the water. The moment he heard her piercing wail his eyes got blurry with tears. Ella was crying and trying to clean her off. There was movement and noise but all he could see and hear was Ella and Skylar.

"Hey beautiful. Oh my God! Look at you, Cielo." She said smiling down at the little girl in her arms. She had calmed down and wasn't screaming anymore, she was quite happily sucking on her mother's finger. Ella looked up at Reid and kissed him before looking back at their daughter. Everything hit him at once. He was a father. He had a little girl, a beautiful and amazing little girl with a head full of sandy brown hair just like him. She was pink and tiny and perfect. She had ten fingers and ten toes and her mother's pouty pink lips. Ella held her close while the nurses worked around her. They handed Reid a pair of scissors and told him to cut the umbilical cord. It grossed him out but it was important to everyone else so he did it. Skylar opened her eyes and blinked before closing them back. He didn't understand how he could love someone he just met so much. He was in love and she wasn't even an hour old. The nurses took Skye and Ella asked him to keep an eye on her.

It was several hours later after all the excitement was over and everyone was notified that he had a moment alone with his daughter. They were in Ella's room while she slept. She had passed out as soon as soon as they got her back in the bed. He looked up at his fiancé's sleeping form and couldn't help the smile spreading across his face. She wasn't wearing any make up but her cheeks were a rosy shade of pink and she was more beautiful than ever. She deserved to rest for a while. He looked down at Skye snuggling closer to his chest. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. They were the same pale brown almost grey eyes he'd fallen in love with.

"Hi Skylar, my name is Spencer but you can call me Dad. I know it's strange, we just met, but that's who I am. I'm your father. You already met your mommy, she's absolutely amazing. She's going to be the best mom ever. You hear that sound, like a kitten purring, that's your mom snoring. She only does it when she's really tired. She had to work really hard to have you. It would have been on camera but your mom nearly took of your Aunt Emily's head off when she tried to film the wrong thing. That's someone else you have to meet. Your Aunt Emily, she's an FBI agent like me. She's almost as scary as your mom when she's angry. You have a lot of cool people to meet, like your Uncle Derek. He's my big brother even though we don't have the same parents. He looks out for me just like I'm sure your God brother Henry is gonna look out for you." Skye had long since gone back to sleep but he kept talking to her until he heard a knock on the door. He looked up to find Hotch and Rossi peaking in. He motioned for them to come in but be quiet.

"Hey, how are they?" Hotch asked peaking over Reid's arm to see Skye.

"Well I have definitive proof that I'm marrying a super hero. And this," he started placing Skye in Hotch's arms. "Is Skylar Giovanna Prentiss- Reid."

"Wow, this is definitely your baby." Rossi said looking down at her.

"Yeah a nurse said something similar and Isla thanked her questioning her sister's fidelity. The nurse disappeared shortly after." Hotch snorted and Reid couldn't help but notice the older man was smiling. "You're smiling." And then it clicked, something Ella had said about Emily dating someone they all knew. He turned to look at Ella and smiled.

"So are you."

"Yeah, I just realized that my fiancé is smarter than me. She'd make one hell of a profiler. She picks out social cues I'll never understand."

"So she saw it before you did. I just figured it out and I see them every day." Rossi added one of his knowing smiles spreading across his face.

"Two profilers can hide really well. Especially when no one is expecting anything, it took her little sister pointing it out for me to see it."

"It took a couple too many freak occurrences for me to figure it out. Then they relaxed a bit when we were on our way back from a case. They thought everyone else was asleep."

"I don't know what either of you are talking about." Hotch replied frowning at both men before looking back down at Skye.

"As long as you're happy I don't know anything. I could use an ally though." Reid responded holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"I bet you could, kid." Rossi added as Hotch handed Skye over to him. The older man held her carefully taking a seat in the chair Reid had vacated. None of the men knew Ella was awake until they heard her camera.

"He really could though; he's out numbered four to one." She said softly before snapping another picture. "And even though none of us know anything officially, break my sister's heart and I break your face." Hotch was about to respond when a nurse came in and shooed them the room. The nurse walked Ella through breast feeding and then helped them change and swaddle her. He just watched in awe. He had never felt this feeling before. It was warm and safe. Ella put Skye in the little clear bassinet they gave them and curled up next to Reid. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her long and hard. She groaned sliding her fingers into his hair and balling his shirt in her other hand. "Wow." She sighed breathlessly when he pulled away. "You know I can't respond to that for at least six weeks, right?" He chuckled before he kissed her again.

"How are you?" he asked softly. She smiled and looked over at their sleeping daughter.

"I'm tired and soar but I don't think I've ever been this happy. I heard this quote once, it might have been song lyrics so don't quote me, but it was something like 'you loved me and I loved you and through that love we created love.' I don't think I really understood it till today. The moment she cried I was a goner. That's maybe the first time I've ever enjoyed being screamed at." Reid chuckled softly. "How about you, daddy, are you happy?"

"I'm very happy; I used to think people like me couldn't be this happy." She gave him a warm smile before kissing him again. It was at that moment the Morgan knocked and walked in. Reid pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers. "You are amazing, you know that?" he asked before kissing her nose softly.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Morgan called from the door.

"You keep telling me that, I need the publicity so spread that around." Ella replied giving him one more quick kiss before pulling back to look at Morgan. "So, Agent Morgan, my fiancé and I have an open position we would like you to feel."

"Really, what's that?"

"Well we want to give you one more person to protect." Morgan raised his eyebrow looking back and forth between Reid and Ella. Ella looked up at Reid and then back at Morgan when he nodded for her to be the one to ask him.

"I'd love to say that we put a whole lot of thought into this but it was pretty much a no brainer. We wanted to choose someone who would protect her and keep her safe. And there is no one better at that than you. You took care of me when Spencer was in the hospital and we are both unbelievably grateful for that. What I'm trying to say is that Spencer and I want you to be Skylar's godfather." Reid got up after Ella's speech and scooped Skye out of her little bed. Morgan stepped forward and accepted the wiggling pink bundle looking down at her in awe.

"My God, she's like the perfect mix of you two." He said softly.

"It's up to you to help Spencer vet every boy that tries to take her out. If anything happens to me and Spence it will be up to you and Aubrey to make sure that she can kick any guy's ass if he tries to lay a hand on her the wrong way."

"So do you accept the job?" Reid asked watching his big brother fall in love with his little girl.

"I accept." He said softly smiling down at Skye. He looked up and his eyes were a little watery.

"Are you crying?" Reid asked smiling.

"No there's just something in my eye." Morgan replied after clearing his throat and lowering the octave of his voice.

"Don't worry, Derek. Skye had the same effect on Spencer."


	19. Save me from Myself

**A/N: Sorry for the wait my lovelies. I'm working on the last two chapters so that shouldn't take long. But I think John Lennon said it best, life happens when you're busy making other plans. I hope you like it. Save me from Myself is one of my favorite Christina Aguilera songs. You should totally listen to it. Read and Review and as always enjoy.**

_"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it."_

_~Ivan Panin _

A week, he'd been away from his daughter and fiancé for a week. He didn't understand how Hotch was able to be away from Haley and Jack so much because he missed his family like crazy. When they got back from a particularly disturbing case it was already pretty late. He knew he wouldn't be home in time to eat dinner with Ella. It took him longer than he would have liked to finish his paperwork. So he did something he wouldn't normally do, he asked for a personal day. Hotch was so taken back by the request that Reid had to repeat it twice. Hotch gave him a look of complete understanding before he told him to take two. It wasn't like Reid ever actually used his personal days. He just collected them. He went back to work as soon as he was allowed by their insurance. He was taking his two weeks' vacation for his honeymoon. That had been Hotch's idea too, he'd tried to decline but his fiancé changed his mind.

When he got home he found Ella asleep on the sofa with Skye asleep on her chest. Bolt and Tempest met him at the door with wagging tails. He wasn't allowed past the doorway until he gave them some attention. He slipped his bag off his shoulder and picked up Ella's camera. It was never far away from her body. He loosened his tie before snapping a few pictures. Neither one of them so much as twitched. Skye smiled in her sleep and it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He'd always had this definition of beauty in his head before Ella and Skye. Now everyday he was with them he saw the word redefined daily. For example, he'd seen Ella dressed up and made up but nothing compared to how she looked then.

She'd cut her hair a week after Skye was born mostly because it was driving her crazy. It had reached a couple of inches below her breasts and got in the way when she tried to do just about anything. Now, it fell a couple of inches below her shoulders the lighter tips brushing the tops of her breasts. She'd gone back to her original color that he'd actually never seen on her. It was the same color Emily's had been when she joined the team, a shade of brown so dark that it looked black until the light hit it. Then it burst into lighter browns and reds catching the light. Her hair was splayed out around her in thick waves her bangs falling over her forehead and eyes. Her black tank top was bunched around her mid section and he knew her tiny black shorts had the word PINK written across the back.

Letting Ella sleep he scooped Skye up and put her in her bassinet. When she was settled and sleeping soundly again he picked up Ella and carried her upstairs. She moaned in her sleep before pressing a kiss to his neck and whispering that she missed him and he smelled good. As soon as he put her down she rolled over and fell back into a deep sleep. He changed into a t-shirt and pajama pants before going back downstairs to read. He was too wired to sleep so he was awake when Skye woke up in the middle of the night. He wanted to let Ella sleep.

* * *

He woke up to the smell of coffee, bacon, and pancakes and a cold wet nose against his neck. He suppressed a chuckle shoving Bolt away so he could sit up. He gave the pushy animal a friendly scratch behind the ears before getting up and heading toward the kitchen. The sight that greeted him was a beautiful one. Ella was at the stove stirring something and singing along with the music playing the background. _I was a killer; was the best they'd ever seen. I'd steal your heart before you even heard a thing. I'm an assassin and I had a job to do. Little did I know that girl was an assassin too._ Tempest was lying on the floor next to Skye's swing as though she was protecting her. Skye was sucking on her Rolling Stones pacifier that matched her onesie watching her mom work from her swing. Her eyes were starting to droop as it rocked her. She was four months old, gaining weight, and had gone through her shots without crying much. Neither he nor Ella did as well; he ended up having to focus on keeping Ella calm so she wouldn't hit the nurse. She'd made some sort of mistake and scratched Skye; Ella gave her a look that should have burned the woman where she stood. The only reason Reid wasn't as pissed as Ella was because he'd already profiled the nurse. She was a new mom just like Ella and looking at how uncomfortable Ella was made her uncomfortable too.

Ella's black racer back tank top hugged her body bunching around her midsection. He could see the bottom of her tattoo peeking from under her top. He leaned back against the wall and watched her move around the kitchen. Her hips were swaying to the music as she cooked. He'd noticed that she couldn't cook without music. She usually preferred to blast it. But he knew why she didn't; by this point Skye was sleep. Another song came on after the first one he'd heard. _ I'm so tired of playing, playing with this bow and arrow. I'm gonna give my heart away; leave it to the other girls to play. For I've been a temptress for way too long. Just give me a reason to love you. Give me a reason to be a woman; I just wanna be a woman. _Her movements slowed down and got more seductive. She turned around, more than likely to get plates, and saw him. She moved to him and gave him a slow sultry kiss before turning around and slowly sliding her body down his. She used his hips to pull herself back up just as slow. She turned around and did the same thing facing him, her face brushing over his groin the same way her hips had a few seconds before. She took that opportunity to nip at his hip. Her hands slid up his shirt as she stood capturing his mouth again. Reid couldn't stop the shiver that shot through him when she dragged her nails down his back softly.

"I take it you missed me?" he asked his voice moving to a low husky timbre when she pulled away. Instead of responding right away, she nipped and kissed at his chin and neck drawing a gasp for Reid. Without any kind of warning he lifted her onto the counter and attacked her mouth. He pulled away just long enough to yank her shirt off of her before capturing her mouth again. Her taste and coffee coated his tongue as his hands moved over the warm swell of her breast. He caught her gasp and moan as she arched her body into his hands. He was content to take her right there on the counter but Ella had other plans. She reached down and pulled his shirt till he helped her pull it off. She shoved him back so she could get off the counter and push him against it. He went to touch her but she shook her head pressing soft wet open mouthed kisses to his neck and chest.

"I missed you, so much baby." She purred nipping at his shoulder and soothing it with her lips. "You've been gone way to long." Her hands slid down his body and over his ass gripping him possessively. He just watched her with heavy lustful eyes as she kissed her way down his body. "I've been thinking about you, tossing and turning every night."

"I'm sorry." He gasped shakily. She had no idea what she was doing to him. Her hand moved around to cup the erection fighting against his pajama pants as her tongue circled his nipple. She gave it a soft tug with her teeth before soothing it with her tongue.

"You didn't let me finish. I would toss and turn until I had no choice but touch myself." He groaned dragging her mouth up to his to ravage her. She let him more for a distraction than anything. He yelped when her hand wrapped around him pumping slowly. She went back to peppering kisses down his body. "I would come thinking about how I would worship this body when I got you back in my arms again." She dropped to her knees nipping at his hip before pulling his pajama pants down. His cock sprung out to greet her making her smile. Her eyes took on a hungry glint. "I missed you too, baby." She whispered stroking her lips against him. It took everything Reid had not to push when wrapped her lips around the head and sucked softly. Her tongue swept around him as her hands did very sexy things to him. Finally she took him into her mouth her hands firmly wrapped around his hips pulling him closer. His hand buried itself in her hair as her head bobbed up and down. He didn't know how much he was going to be able to take. And then she surprised him taking his cock down so deep he breached her throat and held him there.

"Oh, God." He gasped his knees trembling as she pulled back admiring her handy work. He truly didn't want to stop her but that's not the way he wanted to go. He hauled her up and laid her on the island ignoring the disappointed sound that escaped her until he claimed her mouth. Her body arched pressing her hard nipples against his chest and her fingers sunk into his hair. When he pulled away her lips were swollen and her skin was flushed. "You have no idea how much I love seeing you that way." He whispered nipping at her skin. She sat up on her elbows her head falling back as he kissed and bit his way down her throat. His fingers tangled in her hair keeping her head back as she arched and sighed. His other hand found her breast brushing her nipple with the pad of his thumb. Ella pressed her hips against his stomach for friction and he smiled against her skin kisses moving toward her breast. That's just the way he wanted her.

"Please, Dolce." She moaned rolling her hips into him again.

"Patience, Tesoro." He whispered softly as his mouth finally wrapped around her nipple flicking it with his tongue. Her hips ground against him as she bit her lip to keep from crying out. Using one hand he pressed her down against the island as he kissed his way further down her body. When he gripped her shorts she lifted her hips to let him pull them off. They weren't off of her for a whole second before him mouth was on her. His eyes rolled up just in time to see her hands wrap around her breasts. He plunged two fingers inside her and her body arched completely off the counter as she finally gave up trying to be silent.

"Please, Dolce." Ella moaned again. He pumped his fingers in and out of her harder and faster as nipped, licked, and sucked her clit. "Oh God." She cried out for him as her body clamped down around his fingers. Her entire body trembled as she came undone and Reid was never happier to have an eidetic memory. When she had a second to catch her breath she sat up and kissed him, it was one of those long slow soul burning ones he always ended up itching for when he saw her. He lifted her up to find a lower surface and only made it to the dining room table.

She was busy while he was walking pushing his pants down and aiming to make him dizzy kissing him breathless. No sooner did her back meet the table that he was inside her groaning. Her nails dug into his back as she raised her hips to meet his. The table creaked as they moved together getting reacquainted her heels digging into the small of his back. A week wasn't that long but it felt like it was longer. Ella's fingers moved into his hair making him look down and meet her warm gaze. She kissed any part of him she could get to. He slipped and arm under her body pulling her up till his mouth met hers as he rocked his hips in time with hers.

"Ella," he called in warning when her teeth scrapped against his throat. If she kept doing that he would be done before he wanted to be. She didn't listen to him biting down on his shoulder making him growl. He pulled out of her all the way giving her hair a soft tug until he claimed her mouth. His other hand moved between the rubbing her clit while he kissed her. He pulled away and watched the pleasure dance across her face.

"Spencer," she started but her head fell back before she could finish. He knew exactly what he was doing…okay not so much but he'd read about it. When she started clutching at him her nails digging into his shoulder he bit down on her shoulder and plunged back inside her as far as body would allow. Ella let out a loud cry as her body clamped down around him like a vice. He kept moving even when she buried her face in his neck. A few frantic strokes later he fell over the edge with her. He leaned against the table for support because his legs weren't steady while she softly kissed his neck and shoulder. "You don't play fair." She whispered in his ear giving his ear lobe a soft tug with her teeth.

"And you do?" he whispered back chuckling. He pulled back and kissed her with more urgency and need than he really meant to. His arms wrapped around her body pulling her flush against him even though she was still on the table. Her arms snaked around him and her palms pressed against his back as she opened her mouth and let him do all the claiming he needed to do. When he pulled away he was breathless but he didn't let her go. He took a few breaths before kissing her again with just as much zeal. She rubbed his back soothingly as he kissed her like she could feel whatever he was feeling. When he pulled away again his eyes were watery. Her hands made their way to his face making him look at her.

"It's okay, you're home now." He just nodded hugging her as close as he could get her. "Children or brunettes?"

"Children, he was killing little brown haired girls after he…" she hugged him tighter when a tear slipped out of his eye.

"Did you get him?" he nodded quietly as she wiped his tears with her thumb. "That's what matters. Do I want to know how many?" he shook his head and she just nodded. "I think I know what you need. And it doesn't bruise my ego any that it's not on this table with me. In about five minutes our daughter is going to wake up screaming. What you need is over there with her." Reid looked over his amazing fiancé brushing her hair away from her face before he kissed her again. He kept kissing her until he heard Skye start to cry. The first thing he did when he pulled away was find his pants and then washed his hands. No matter what he was doing before he picked her up he always washed his hands. There were several germs that could live on adults' hands but were harmful to babies. She stopped crying listening to him speak until he got to her. When she looked up at him with her big pale brown eyes just like her mother's he felt like he was home.

"Hey Princess!" He exclaimed scooping up his daughter and kissing her belly. She giggled and kicked and he realized something. Ella was right; time with Skye was exactly what he needed.

* * *

A couple of hours later Skye was giggling at her mother while she changed her and Reid just watched. He missed watching them when he was away. Ella held normal conversations with Skye as though she completely understood everything she was saying. It was adorable to say the least. His baby girl's eyes would be on her mother and she would babble back. Neither of them knew what the other was saying but it didn't really matter. When Skye was all changed Ella scooped her up and peppered her face with kisses much to the little girls delight.

"What are you doing tonight? I know you have plans with the girls." Reid asked watching Ella move around the house with Skye in her arms. He wanted to remind her that him being there meant she didn't have to do everything with a wiggling four month old in her arms. But she never so much as asked for help. She made a bottle without ever once putting the baby down. Skye was busy trying to reach for everything and Ella kept her just far enough from stuff to grab it.

"We're going post baby wedding dress shopping. My body isn't that same as it was before our little bundle of joy." She said the last part rubbing her nose against Skye's. She giggled in response kicking her legs. "My old dress just doesn't look good on me anymore. I want to be happy with my body because I want her to be happy with hers when she's older. But I'm having trouble getting used to it. So I'm going to find a new wedding dress that makes me look and feel pretty."

"You're beautiful." He said reverently. She looked up at him blushing before handing him a bottle and his daughter shortly after.

"I'm glad you think so considering you'll be marrying me in two months. I just want to feel like I did before. I used to be more athletic and now I'm more of an hourglass. I can handle it; I just need a different dress." He noticed she wasn't looking at him as she said all this. He had had a feeling she was only saying it for his benefit.

"Has this been bothering you?" she gave him a look when she realized he was profiling her. He suddenly found shaking Skye's bottle really interesting. Skye made an irritated noise reaching for the bottle and he stopped shaking to look down at her.

"A little," Ella began taking the bottle out of his hand and putting it in Skye's mouth. "You have to hold it until it's half gone. She can do it after that, she'd been trying to get it. Isn't that right cookie?" Skye smiled around her bottle looking at her mommy from her place in Reid's arms.

"Don't change the subject." He said looking at her. She looked up and met his eyes still rubbing Skye's hair.

"I'm not. I just don't think it's important. I can handle it. I still do the same stuff and I'm healthy. My boobs are just bigger and my hips are wider. There is no crash dieting or plastic surgery in my future. I'm okay. I promise." He nodded and kissed her letting it go. He could tell her all day how gorgeous she was to him and every man that saw her. But she needed to do something for herself. He watched her move around hours later in a tight red Henley t-shirt, distressed skinny jeans, and brown slouchy boots and he was practically drooling. Her hair was pulled up into a bun and her bangs were hanging over her eyes. She was perfect. She gave him a kiss and kissed their sleeping daughter before running out to meet the girls.

* * *

It was perfect. She knew it the moment they finished buttoning her into it. The ladies in the room with her smiled at her in the mirror. It was the fifth dress she'd tried on. She'd known what she wanted. She hadn't really wanted to feel like a princess, it was more like wanting to feel special. She wanted a dress that Spencer was really going to like. No matter what anyone said, she'd found her dress. It wasn't pure white, it was more like ivory. It had a sweetheart neckline but there were antique lace straps that formed a deep v. The back was cut low and didn't start till about the middle of her back leaving it completely bare save the straps. The antique lace and beading covered the whole dress as it hugged her body. It was a- line with a chapel length train and a sparkly broach at the bust and hung over her body just right. There was a pale purple ribbon around her waist, the same color as the bridesmaids' dresses and the tie Spencer would be wearing. It was just … perfect. There wasn't another word for it.

"Hurry up El, we wanna see." Emily called from the hallway. Ella pulled up the dress so she could walk easy and left the dressing room. She didn't know what she expected when she climbed up on the little stand in front of the mirror but she was surprised none the less. She was looking at herself and not at them. She was worried though, she didn't hear a single sound.

"So, what do you guys think?" She asked turning to them finally. Isla and Emily were both wiping away tears. Aubrey had a huge smile on her face; Honor was both grinning and crying. It was Garcia who finally squealed and broke the silence.

"I think that's the one." She said smiling brightly. Ella turned back around and smiled looking at herself.

"Oh yeah, it's perfect El. My little sister is getting married." Emily said smiling at her in the mirror. Two of the ladies came and helped her put on the veil. When they were done she was in tears herself. There was a celebration dinner after the girls finished their fitting. Ella had done her best to make sure her bridesmaids didn't hate her because of the dresses. They were all happy.

When she got home it was after ten. The dogs met her at the door with wagging tail begging for attention before she could enter. She silently hoped they would be more menacing if there was a burglar or something. She dropped her bag on the table by the steps and went up in search of her daughter and fiancé. She found them and smiled before dashing off to find her camera. Spencer was reading to Skye from a book that was about as big as she was. He was doing the voice and each on made her giggle. Every now and then she would smack her little hands down on the book and babble like she was reading too. Spencer would stop reading and respond as though he knew what she was saying. Ella snapped a few pictures before going change into shorts and a tank top.

When she got back Skye was falling asleep and Spencer was still reading. His voice got quieter and more soothing as he got up to put Skye in her crib. He looked up at her where she stood by the door and recited the story word for word until he was sure their little girl was sleep. She had never loved anyone or anything the way she loved the two people in the room with her. She walked over to the crib and relaxed against Spencer when he wrapped his arms around her waist. She brushed her fingers over her little girl's hair before turning around her fiancé's arms.

"You are so beautiful, you know that?" she said tracing his cheek with her thumb.

"You keep telling me that." He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. "Did you find a dress?" she smiled and nodded.

"You're gonna love it, they all had tears in their eyes when they saw me. I can't wait for you to see it."

"Two more months, and then you're all mine."

"I'm already yours, in two months you legally have to tell other people that I am."

"If you want I can make sure the neighbors know by morning." Ella had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. She grabbed Spencer's hand and dragged him out of Skye's room. She let him press her to the wall and kiss her senseless.

"How about you just remind me instead." She purred loving the grin that spread across his face.

"I love you, so much."

"Good, because you're kind of stuck with me."


	20. You Give Me Something

**A/N: Guys I'm so sorry this took so long. Remember that things I said about life happening while you're busy making other plans...well lets just say life happened. A lot! So here is the next chapter and I'm putting the finishing touches on the Epilogue. It might end up being two chapters instead of one. You Give Me Something is a song by James Morrison. Read and Enjoy. **

_"Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence." _

_~ Aristotle_

The warm smell of the ocean and the sound of waves slapping against the shore woke Reid up on a beautiful Tuesday morning. He took a deep breath enjoying the scent letting out a contented sigh. It took him a couple of minutes to muster the energy to climb out of the warm soft clutches of the bed and his beautiful wife. When he was out of bed he stretched feeling a familiar ache in his knee as he pulled on his shorts. Ella had warned him that something he'd done the night before would come back to haunt him. He looked down at the purple see through lace baby doll she'd worn for him the night before. She'd promised him something different every night of their honeymoon. She'd walked out of the bathroom and he'd lost all of his good sense.

He looked over at her sleeping form and smiled. When he'd moved she'd rolled on her stomach placing her hand under her face. The sheet had slipped lower only slung across her waist leaving her back and legs bare. Her hair was wild and tousled from sleep falling into her face. Her hand unconsciously moved to his side of the bed her rings sparkling in the light.

Memories of their wedding day floated into his mind. He wasn't sure when it really sunk in for him that he was married. It wasn't when she was walking down the aisle in that beautiful dress. Even her veil had lace on it as it covered her face. Emily and Isla ended up walking her down the aisle because her father pissed her off again two days before the wedding. She'd looked so beautiful that Morgan had to reach around and close his mouth. She walked down the aisle to _Like a Star_ by Corrine Bailey Rae. He had gotten her a Tiffany's charm bracelet, for her something new; it had a heart with an S on it for their daughter along with a book with an S on it for him.

It wasn't during her vows that had brought tears to his eyes. Morgan told Reid that if he cried he would be clowned until his friend got bored. He couldn't help it then.

"_You asked me once what I used as your ringtone. There's a song from The Sound of Music called __**Something Good.**__ The words: 'Perhaps I had a wicked childhood; perhaps I had a miserable youth. But somewhere in my wicked, miserable past there must have been a moment of truth. For there you are standing there loving me, whether or not you should. So somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good. Nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could. So somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good.' I'm not sure what good thing I did to deserve you and I may never know but to me your proof that God exists. You gave me my daughter and you gave me happiness and peace. I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I'm yours."_

He hadn't missed the sniffles coming from behind her. He'd wanted to kiss her then but he restrained himself as the Minister told her what to say as she put the ring on his finger. Both of their hands were shaking he realized as she'd tried to put his ring on.

It wasn't during his vows. He'd made her cry harder and he hadn't meant to. The best part was that they both had big smiles on their faces. He'd read a poem that always reminded him of her; _She walks in Beauty_ by Lord Byron.

He had to admit the moment that it really sunk in for him was on the dance floor of a restaurant they went to in Antigua. She wasn't even dancing with him.

_She was on the floor by herself moving her hips to the music with her hands up above her head. Her tiny pale blue dress looked white in the soft outdoor light. It stopped at about mid thigh and it was a tube top that left her neck, shoulders, and part of her back completely bare. She was also wearing these three inch stiletto boot things that bared her bright red toes. He watched her run her hands through her hair lifting it off her neck. She looked up and met his eyes rolling her hips suggestively. A smile made its way to his face as he watched her. He heard someone whistle next to him but didn't turn away. The song spoke of someone being naughty and someone else teaching them a lesson and she danced as if she were on a stage by herself. __A man saddled up to him and plopped down in the chair next to him. He just kept watching Ella as she danced biding his time till they got back to their villa. Their honeymoon was a gift from Peyton that came with free babysitters. Skye was in Vegas which is where they would be after they're 10 day vacation.__ They had their own villa and a private pool. He didn't want to think about how much Peyton paid for their private oasis, but it was nice to see his wife in a bikini. _

_"I think she likes you." The man said to him in a thick Australian accent. _

_"I think so too." He replied smiling at her._

_"She's smoking hot, man. You should go for it." Reid finally spared a glance at the man next to him. He had a dark tan and long dirty blonde hair. His eyes were a dusty shade of grey and he was well on his way to drooling over Ella. "If you don't I will." He said grinning. Reid swallowed the protective rush of possessiveness that swept through him. He wasn't going to let this man anywhere near her._

_"She's married." He replied calmly. He turned his eyes back to his wife who by then was back in her own little world._

_"She's not acting like it. How can you tell?" The man spoke as if he didn't believe him and Reid had to bite back a smirk._

_"Well I was there when she got married." He replied before flashing his ring. "She's my wife." It was at that moment that Ella sauntered over with a seductive smile on her face. When she got to him he opened his legs so she could get close. She put her knee between his and leaned over him. Her hair fell around them like a curtain until she pushed it back._

_"Hey husband." She purred softly._

_"Hey yourself, Mrs. Reid." She smiled before capturing his lips in hers. She didn't pull away until he was breathless and blushing. She had a way of making him forget where they were with one kiss.__She leaned down over him rubbing her body against his like a cat who wanted someone to pet it. The soft scent of her perfume and the fruity scent of her shampoo wrapped around him. He let his finger tips brush her thigh under her skirt before pulling her into his lap and kissing her again._

_"Wow, you are one lucky bastard." The man's voice broke through the haze that seemed to surround them when they got too close. Ella just smiled at Reid with slightly swollen pouty pink lips and rosy flushed skin. Her chest heaved from lack of oxygen and her hair was blowing in the soft heated breeze._

_"You have no idea." He replied without taking his eyes off his wife. She just smiled wider at him. Heat rushed up his neck and into his cheeks as he blushed. It was that moment that sealed it for him. This amazing woman, the mother of his child, who defends him and protects him; she was his wife._

_"I have plans for you this evening, Mr. Reid." She purred softly her fingers slipping into his hair scratching his scalp. Heat roared to life in his belly and through his veins. "I think tonight is a purple night." She climbed off his lap removing his hand from her thigh and holding it. She gave it a tug and pulled him up wrapping her arms around his waist. He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers softly._

_"I can't wait, Mrs. Reid. What do you say we get out of here?" Ella smiled and nodded. Her arm slipped around his waist as they walked away. They were almost to their villa when she started giggling. "What?"_

_"That guy pretty much thought you were a rock star. If my twin was here he would have fainted."_

_"So that's what that show was for?" She shook her head._

_"No that was because I love my husband. Everyone else needs to see just how awesome you are."_

Now watching her stretch out and turn her back to him he couldn't help but smile. He used to think people like him didn't deserve to be this happy. If he said something like that to her she would probably smack him. He remembered watching her dance with his father at the reception smiling happily. Her mother had asked him to dance much to both of their surprises. He remembered the blush that crept up his cheeks when they told him he had to go under her dress in front of everyone and pull off her garter. He blushed remembering the look on Ella's face after he had a little too much fun with his task. She told him that payback was a bitch and called him a horny bastard. Morgan and Ethan clapped him on each shoulder when Ella shoved him away blushing. Emily caught the bouquet and Morgan caught the garter so he had to put it on Emily. Of course he couldn't just do it, he had to put on a show and screw with her first. Hotch jokingly threatened to fire him before he danced with Emily. They're way of coming out with their relationship.

He couldn't put his finger on what was different but he could feel it. It was in the heat that coursed through his veins when he looked at his wife; it was different because of the primal edge of possessiveness that came with it. His eyes moved over her skin, the smooth lines of her back, the sheets bunched across her waist, the rounded swell of her rear, her long sculpted legs, and the splashes of color over her milky skin. She was his. He was a happily married man.

He was torn from his thoughts by the sound of someone knocking on the door of their bungalow. He'd ordered breakfast and a load of coffee. When he got back he decided it was time to wake his wife. She was back on her stomach with her hands on either side of her head. Her face was turned toward the window. Reid climbed on the bed slowly letting his eyes move over her. He'd been insatiable since they landed in Antigua. Now wasn't any different.

Moving her hair he pressed soft open mouthed kisses down her back starting from her neck. She moved but didn't wake up right away. She didn't make a sound until his hand slipped under the sheet.

"You're starting things you can't finish Doctor." She purred softly turning over to look at him. She stretched her arms and legs before sitting up on her knees. "It feels early, it better not be before ten-thirty." She stretched again and Reid did his best to focus on breakfast. He climbed off the bed and she noticed when he moved. "Hey, we've been married for less than a week and you're already forgetting to kiss me good morning." She pouted standing up on the bed.

"I'm so sorry." He said walking back to her. Without much warning she jumped in his arms nearly taking them both to the floor. She gave him a long slow kiss good morning before heading for the bathroom. When she came out she was wearing a white tank top over her ruffled red and white polka dot bikini. She gave him one more kiss before heading for the coffee. He watched her while she chose what to eat. When she had her Greek yogurt, her fruit, and a waffle she looked up at him and raised her eye brow. "What?"

"You're staring. Did I miss a spot on my face or something?" Reid snorted and shook his head. "Then what is it creepy?"

"You're my wife." She raised her eyebrow at him again but it was accompanied by a grin that said she knew what he meant.

"Yeah, I signed something that said that." He rolled his eyes and threw a blueberry at her. She got up and climbed into his lap straddling him. Before he could speak she bit his neck making him yelp. "That's for attacking me with produce." Then she kissed him. "And that was for being you." Reid smiled and wrapped his arms around his wife.

"You're beautiful." he said reverently. Ella smiled and gave him another kiss.

"And you're biased. But you're sexy so I'll take it."

"You're pretty hot yourself, Mrs. Reid." He noted the grin that spread across her face and prepared himself for what she was going to say.

"I think you signed something that said that."


	21. Epilogue Part 1

**A/N: I am so sorry people. I had a serious case of writers block where this story was concerned. But I finally decided how I want it to end. So, here goes nothing...well everything. If you can't tell, this is years later after the last chapter. I do not own Criminal Minds but I do love it very much. I'm so happy the new season has started although I'm not altogether happy with certain story lines...**

_"True love doesn't have a happy ending, because true love never ends. Letting go is one way of saying I love you."_

_~Unknown_

"What a beautiful baby!" A woman sitting near Ella exclaimed. She had pale yellow blonde hair and hazel eyes. Ella was still in her curve hugging blue wrap dress and brown boots from work. The woman, Ella noticed when she looked up and smiled running her hand through her hair, was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt.

"Thank you."

"He has the most beautiful eyes. What's his name?" She was grinning down at the 10 month old baby not paying her any attention.

"Oliver, we call him Ollie for short." Ollie looked up at her from the floor with eyes just like his father's through full dark eye lashes that match his dark hair. He had her hair color which made his eyes seem brighter. He grinned around his binky before turning back to his toys. "He has eyes and eye lashes just like his father." Ollie pulled out his pacifier and motioned toward his mouth. Spencer had read a book about teaching babies how to sign while she was pregnant with Oliver. Now he used them when he wanted something. Ollie hardly ever cried. He got your attention if he needed something but other than that nothing. She handed him his bottle full of apple juice. He gave her a big toothy grin by way of thanks before popping it in his mouth happily.

"He must be very handsome. You have another child that goes here?" The woman asked motioning around the principal's office waiting room they were waiting in. Ella and Spencer had been called to the principal's office at Skye's elementary school.

"Yeah, he is. And I have a daughter, she's 6." Ella took something from Ollie before he could put it in his mouth. He looked up at her and pulled off his father's puppy dog pout perfectly. He climbed to his feet and waddled the couple of steps to her keeping the look firmly in place. She scooped him up and peppered his face with kisses until he giggled and squealed. It was at the moment that Spencer limped in. His knee had been bothering him all week since he'd tackled an un-sub down some steps. For that reason he was back to using his cane. His hair was starting to get long again and he had a full goatee and mustache. She was beating women off of him with a stick and she couldn't keep her hands off of him. He limped over to her when he heard Ollie squeal for him and say "dada".

"Hey buddy!" He scooped Ollie up and put his hand up for the baby boy to promptly smack enthusiastically. He leaned down and gave Ella a slow lingering kiss before plopping in the chair next to her. "How was your day, Tesoro?" He asked pulling his hair out of Ollie's excited hands.

"It was a whole slew of things culminating in being summoned to the principals' office. I'm having high school flashbacks."

"I never went to the principal's office in high school." He said in a very familiar matter-of-fact tone. Ella rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Dolce, that doesn't surprise me." She said prying her own hair out of Ollie's hands. He gave her the puppy dog look again before she handed him his plastic keys.

"Who is the woman staring at me like I'm a rotisserie chicken and she's starving?" Spencer whispered leaning closer to his wife.

"I have no idea but she obviously thinks you're hot." He gave her a look. "I find you unbelievably hot; I've got two kids to prove it." He gave her a warm smile and a kiss. Ollie squealed when they kissed making both parents laugh.

"Mr. And Mrs. Reid," a seemingly disembodied voice called from behind a large desk. "Dr. Williamson will see you now." Ella climbed to her feet and collected Ollie's stuff before collecting him as well. As soon as he was settled he grabbed on to Ella's long dark hair. Dr. Williamson was a portly lady with long graying hair she always kept in a tight bun. She had warm, kind blue eyes, and skin that probably used to be really pale but age made it darker. She always wore business suits that were black, grey, or blue with crisp white shirts and sensible shoes. She smiled warmly when they came in and shook Spencer's hand. Ella propped Ollie on her hip and shook her hand when she offered it.

"Thank you for coming. Please have a seat." Spencer gave Ella a look before they both sat down. "I called you in to talk about how Skylar is progressing academically. She's a very smart little girl." Dr. Williamson began.

"She's not correcting her teachers again, is she?" Ella asked holding onto Ollie as he played with her keys.

"She still does every now and then, but not as much. Her corrections usually start with 'my daddy says' or 'my mommy says' and our personal favorites are when she mentions her aunts and uncles." Dr. Williamson looked down at Ollie and smiled. "She talks about him a lot, she also talks about Henry, Jack, Chloe, Sophie, Liam and Eli, and Jamie. She loves her family very much. She taught one of her friends how to properly change her doll baby." A smile spread across Ella's face as she thought about her little girl.

"I taught her, she really wanted to help with Ollie." Ella replied scooping up her curious little boy. He giggled when she caught him before he could get away.

"She's very smart, we have her in advanced classes and she's thriving. I called you in to discuss next school year."

"What about it?" Spencer asked suspiciously. Ella didn't look at him; she already knew what he was thinking.

"We want to place her in third grade instead of second."

"No." Spencer snapped.

"Spencer!" He at least had the decency to look a little apologetic for the way he sounded.

"I'm sorry but she should stay with her friends. She'll be the odd one out if we do this." Ella didn't look at him. She didn't want him to see just what he should expect when they got home.

"She's already in advanced classes and she's bored. She helps anyone who is having trouble. I feel as though we're doing her a disservice keeping her back. She's independent and she's smart. She's surpassed everyone in her grade in spades. The kids she's taking classes with are in second grade. She would be moving on with them. She's a very social child, with her family and the extracurricular activities she's involved in she'll stay that way." Ella nodded in understanding but Spencer was still shaking his head. That was pissing her off.

"Can we have some time to think about this?" Ella asked calmly.

"There's nothing to think about. We're not doing this to her." Spencer said with a finality that served only to piss his wife off more. So she ignored Spencer and looked at Dr. Williamson as if waiting for her answer. The other woman looked uncomfortable. She could probably see how angry Ella was.

"Of course, she's an amazing little girl. I just want to make sure we're not holding her back." Ella nodded.

"Is it okay if we take her home now, I know she has about an hour and a half of school left?" She asked not looking at her husband.

"Oh that's fine. She never really misses school. I'll call her out of class."

"Thank you so much for caring. I'll wait for her outside if that's okay." Dr. Williamson smiled and nodded shaking Ella's hand. Without so much as sparing a look at Spencer, Ella scooped up Ollie securing him on her hip and walked out. She heard her husband behind her but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. She let Ollie down so he could walk and slowed down so he could keep up. Skye came around the corner two minutes later and he squealed for his big sister. She smiled and ran to her mother grinning brightly. Ella held on to Ollie and hugged her little girl at the same time peppering her face with messy kisses until she pushed her away. Skye saw her father and went to him happily. Spencer scooped up his little girl and hugged her tight. When he put her down she grabbed Ollie's hand and started walking telling them all about her day. Spencer tried to grab Ella's hand but she snatched it away. She helped Skye in the car and scooped up Ollie before turning to Spencer. "I'm taking her to get a haircut, can you take Ollie?" She asked quietly. He nodded and she handed him the diaper bag before handing him his son. Before she climbed in her Jeep Grand Cherokee she heard him say something to Ollie.

"I think daddy just might get his ass kicked when mommy comes home." That made her smile despite her anger.

"Come on Princess," She said excitedly to her daughter looking at her in the rearview mirror. "Let's go get a handle on this bangs situation."

Reid knew how pissed off his wife was. He hadn't meant to act that way, he just didn't want Skye to go through what he went through. He knew that after Skye's haircut she had ballet in the same building where Ella had her Yoga class. They wouldn't be back till six. So while Ethan played with Ollie, his godson, and his twin boys Reid cooked Ella's favorite for dinner. She'd wanted him to make roast beef and red potatoes for a few weeks but he'd been out of town on a case. After she finished yelling at him there was something he wanted to talk to her about. Ethan came in the kitchen with Reid after the boys were settled in the fence playing.

"So what did you do?" He asked grabbing a soda from the refrigerator and leaning against the counter.

"They want Skye to skip second grade." Ethan nodded and motioned for him to continue. "I had a visceral reaction and I snapped at the principal. Ella barely looked at me and when I tried to hold her hand she snatched away from me. I figured if I make her dinner and tell her my news she'll be less angry about my reaction."

"Skye is social; you don't have to worry about her being isolated. Look at the way she dresses herself. She chooses bright colors, she likes when Ella braids the bright colored pieces in her hair. She's artistic and she likes books and movies and music. She's her own person." Reid nodded knowing his friend was right. Skye was more like her mother. She had no problem speaking her mind.

"I just don't want her to go through what I went through. I want to protect her."

"I'm sure Ella understands that. What did she say?"

"I kind of didn't let her speak at the time." Reid responded sheepishly.

"So in other words you were a dick?" Ethan was smirking at him and it made Reid feel worse.

"Thanks."

"What, friends are supposed to tell you the truth. I wouldn't be useful if I didn't." Reid just nodded.

"I think I know why she's angry but I'm sure I'm going to find out when she gets home."

"Well since its Friday, I can take Skye with me. The boys will be 4 tomorrow and you guys are coming to the party. The boys wanted to have a sleep over with their cousins."

"I have to do the obvious and get back to you."

"The obvious?" Ethan asked visibly confused.

"I have to talk to my wife." Ethan barked out laughter before stealing a piece of potato.

"Man, we are so whipped. Did you ever think you and I would be married to twins?" Reid laughed out loud leaving Ethan confused.

"You've been trying to be like me for years. As soon as I found out Ella had a twin I knew you'd end up with her."

An hour or so later Ella came in with Isla who was fussing at her about something. Ella wasn't speaking; she just motioned for Skye to go upstairs and ignored her sister. Reid watched as she walked in the kitchen and saw that he had already cooked dinner but didn't walk in. He just listened with Ethan. Something had happened during their Yoga class that had both of them extremely pissed off. They weren't speaking English at first, and he could only translate when they were speaking slowly.

"I can't believe you hit her!"

"Leave me alone, Isla. I don't want to talk about this right now." She said moving toward the refrigerator. She pulled out a bottle of water and shoved one at her sister. Isla didn't let Ella's attitude change her mind. She just kept talking.

"What did she say that pissed you off so much? I haven't seen you lose it like that in years." Ella moved away without responding. She looked over at Ethan and waved ignoring Reid.

"You don't understand the concept of letting something go do you? I don't want to talk about Cindy Warren."

"You hit Cindy Warren!" Reid exclaimed moving toward his wife. Ella gave him a look and moved toward the living room. He hadn't seen that look in a while. She kissed each of her nephews before kissing Ollie. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Leave it alone, Spencer." He winced hearing his name. She only called him by his first name on two occasions; when he did something wrong, or when he was doing something deliciously right. Isla pulled him to the side flipping her long brown sugar hair over her shoulder.

"I heard Cindy say something about Ella's delicious husband and you taking Skye to ballet when you're in town. She mentioned how she would keep you in bed all day and how there would be no leaving every week on a case if she was your wife. I also heard her mention the way Skye dresses and how Ollie is going to be a heartbreaker when he's older. She pulled El to the side and next thing I know she's on the floor." Reid watched his wife play with the boys. She was back in her work clothes having showered at the gym. "I know for a fact that she said something about you being home more if Ella was a better wife." Reid moved toward his wife and she slipped past him. He grabbed her hand gently to stop her and brought it to his lips. She looked up at him and he could see everything she was feeling in her eyes.

"I'm gonna go help Skye pack a bag." With that she pulled away.

When he got to their bedroom Ella's blue wrap dress was on the floor and her hair was down falling over her shoulders like a blanket. She'd gotten Skye dressed and on her way with Isla and Ethan. Ollie was down for a 30 minute nap before dinner, so now they could talk. She was taking off her jewelry in a purple and black lace bra, matching boy shorts, and lace topped thigh high stockings. Years later those things still got to him and he was sure they always would. She had her back to him so he took his time looking her over. When he finally pulled his mind out of the gutter he noticed something. She was wearing her feelings in her stance. She wasn't moving, she was leaning against her vanity white knuckled.

"You believe her." She stood up and wiped her eyes before turning to face him.

"What?" She asked folding her arms under her breasts.

"She hit a nerve, that's why you hit her. You think I keep leaving because I don't want you."

"That's illogical." She said quietly sitting down on the bench in front of her vanity.

"Yes, but feelings sometimes are." She looked down and started rolling down her stockings until he stopped her with his hands. He carefully took her leg in his hands gently removing her stocking stroking her legs as he went.

"I don't want to be this woman or this kind of wife. I love you and I know you love me."

"But part of you thinks I'm happier when I'm away." She was shaking her head but he could tell it was true.

"I know you're happy with the kids. I can't help thinking if I was more like Stepford Bitch doing tantric yoga on my nights off you'd be happier to be home. You've been distant lately and when she said... On top of that she called my beautiful, brilliant, loving six-year-old little girl a harlot. For that reason alone the bitch deserved it. And I was already pissed about how you acted with Skye's principal. You didn't even let me speak."

"I'm sorry I didn't let you speak, I have this eternal fear of my kids going through the horrible things I went through. I should have waited and talked to you about it. I'm plenty happy with our sex life and your level of flexibility. And I'm sorry about how I've been distant; I've been trying to make a decision. I wanted to see how I felt about it before I brought it to you. They offered me a teaching job at the academy. It would mean less travel but I would still be a consultant." He sat and waited for her to respond wondering what she was thinking.

"How do you feel about the offer?" He was expecting her to tell him to take it. She never ceased to surprise him.

"The team is different now; it's just me, Hotch, and Rossi on the team with Seaver and some kid that's supposed to be the next me. Rossi is considering retirement, again. Hotch wants something more sedentary because Sophie is starting school and Jack is a teenager now. Morgan and Em are on another team and I'm missing too much. I missed Skye's first steps and now I've missed Ollie's. I don't want to miss anything else. And I broke my promise to you."

"What promise?"

"I promised I would never expect you to change to accommodate me. You haven't traveled or done a photo shoot in almost a year. How do you not resent me for that?"

"I love you." She said as though it explained everything. "I don't want you to resent me for wanting you to take this job. I remember what you told me about Hotch and Haley, how she wanted him to quit and change. I want you to be happy and your job makes you happy. I can't ask you to give that up."

"But what about what makes you happy?"

"I have you."

"That's not a fair trade off. We've talked about having more kids."

"No you've talked; I've all but closed my vagina for business. I said we could adopt more kids." Reid chuckled at her response.

"Okay, you're right. I just want you to do what makes you happy too. I'm not as fast as I used to be. I don't need to be in the field anymore. Plus it's a raise." Ella looked apprehensive. She grabbed both his hands in hers kissing each one. Heat crept up his neck and flooded his face.

"I want you to be safe and happy. If you think this job will make you happy then I'm all for it. We don't need money. But we do need you." With that she got up and continued changing her clothes.


	22. Epilogue Part 2

**A/N: Well folks, this is officially the end. I hope you've enjoyed my story. I got my happy ending, my next story will involve a little more turmoil. Thank you for all of your comments and suggestions. I couldn't have done it without you. Enjoy!**

****_"A hundred men may make an encampment, but it takes a woman to make a home." ~Chinese Proverb_

* * *

"Uncle Aaron, why do you frown so much?" Skye asked sitting on Hotch's desk. Reid was teaching a class so it fell on Hotch, who didn't have a class right then, to keep an eye on the kids. Ella was working out off the country and Skye was out of school for the day. He smirked at the little girl kicking her legs playing with the hem of the denim vest she was wearing over her bright pink Rolling Stones t-shirt. She was definitely Reid's daughter, having started third grade a few months ago at the ripe old age of 6.

"You're not the first person to ask me that, Skye. I don't always mean to. Sometime I'm just thinking too hard."

"Grandma told mommy that if she keeps frowning she'll get wrinkles. It usually makes mommy swear." Hotch snorted thinking about all the things his mother-in-law said that made his wife swear. It was a long list. It had been interesting when she asked Ella to dress Skye more like Sophie who is almost two years her junior. Today Skye was wearing a bright pink Rolling Stones t-shirt, a denim vest with red embellishments, khaki pants, red converse all star shoes that matched the tongue on her shirt perfectly, gold bracelets her aunt Penelope got her, and she had red ribbon tied around both braids in her hair. She was the only little girl any of them knew who owned a Rolling Stones book bag. She knew lyrics to songs that came out well before her parents were born and had a tendency to hold conversations with Jack and Henry somehow confusing the older boys. Henry was her best friend and she tended to keep him out of trouble even though he was almost four years older.

"Your grandma has a tendency to get under your mom and aunties' skin fairly easily. She loves you, Sophie, Jack, Liam, and Eli very much. She just has trouble showing it sometimes." Skye nodded her head showing understanding pushing her dark bangs away from her eyes. When she was born her hair was the same color as Reid's, now that color only lasted as highlights in her raven hair. Sophie's hair was the same color, minus the lighter highlights. Everyone always asked if there were sisters instead of cousins.

"Mommy told Daddy to ignore at least two-thirds of everything she says. I know for a fact that Uncle Ethan doesn't listen at all." She pulled a lollipop out of her book bag and offered it to Hotch. He accepted it with a smile as she opened one for herself. "Why couldn't I stay with Daddy while he taught his class? I know how to behave."

"Yes you do, but it's not a matter of behaving. We're not ready for you to learn what your daddy is teaching. We want you to be a kid as long as possible. Jack is older; I wouldn't have let him stay while I taught. I sent him to Aunt Emily's office while I taught. Your dad knows you're a good girl." She looked like she didn't want to accept that answer. "Your dad knows how good your memory is, there are some things he's just not ready for you to have to know." She nodded finally. Hotch tried not to heave a sigh of relief at getting away with his answer. Fortunately for him it was covered by Jack coming in with his little sister on his back. Skye looked up before hopping down and going to one of the chairs in front of the desk. She pulled out one of her books and got comfortable. She was reading one of those books the tween girls were screeching about all over.

"Dad, there's a woman her to see you and Uncle Spencer." He said stepping aside to let the woman in. Elle Greenaway stepped through the door looking at Jack in amazement. "It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Ryan." He said nodding.

"Yeah, what he said." Sophie responded cheerfully. It was her new favorite sentence.

"Skye, Henry's looking for you." Jack warned before heading towards the door.

"He knows where to find me." She replied saucily, sounding just like her mother when she did. He apparently missed something and Skye wasn't just here to see him. She was hiding from Henry. Elle walked over and hugged Hotch after he came from behind his desk.

"Mrs. Ryan?" he asked smiling. Elle nodded showing him the wedding ring on her finger.

"I hear you have a new one of your own. When did Jack get such a deep voice?" She asked in disbelief before turning to Skye. "Is she yours too?" he shook his head.

"No you just saw both of mine. This is Reid's daughter and my niece." She looked confused before Skye reached out her hand to introduce herself.

"Skylar Prentiss-Reid, my mom is Uncle Aaron's sister-in-law. And before you ask, I'm seven. I'm not trying to be rude or anything, Mrs. Ryan, but that just seems to be the first question everybody asks when they speak to me." There was a knock at the door causing everyone to look toward it. Skye rolled her eyes and went back to her book.

"This is JJ's son, Henry." Henry gave a wave before shoving his hands in his pocket.

"Aunt Pen told me to tell you that your wife and her husband are on their way home and Ashley needs a boyfriend. She also told me to say that I'm wrong and Skye's right and that men say the wrong thing all the time for the right reasons." A smirk appeared on Skye's face before she closed her book and shoved it in her bag.

"Uncle Aaron, I'll stay if you want me to." She gave him her full attention after giving Elle a sly distrustful glance. It was look that somehow managed to look like both her mother and her father's looks respectively.

"I always want you around, Skye. But it's okay if you go play with Henry. Just don't leave the bullpen." She nodded and went to grab her bag. "You can leave that here, be careful."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Ryan." Skye said sweetly before walking toward Henry. "You're lucky I like you, LaMontagne."

"So you always tell me." He replied rolling his eyes as they left. Elle looked back at Hotch in complete disbelief.

"She's only seven?" Hotch just nodded smiling at her. "She's definitely Reid's daughter."

* * *

"Henry William LaMontagne, if you don't give that back I'll break your face!" Ella couldn't think of anything she could be happier to hear. When she walked into Spencer's office and saw her daughter beating her best friend to a pulp she felt like she was home. She'd been in Brazil for a week on a photography job with her one year old son and Honor. She'd missed Skye and Spencer; she now had a glimpse of how Spencer felt leaving for cases. Instead of going over to pull them apart, she put Ollie down and whistled with her thumb and middle finger in her mouth. Henry and Skye looked when Ella whistled. Skye used Henry's face to get off the floor and ran to her mother. Ella scooped her up and kissed her little girl's face until Skye begged her to stop.

"Oh, Cielo, I missed you so much." When Skye went to pick up her little brother Henry gave Ella a hug smiling when she kissed his hair. "Henry, you're mom is looking for you." He nodded and headed towards the door.

"Auntie Ella, I think it's safe for Skye to quit kick boxing lessons. I'm starting to lose our fights." Ella laughed and mussed his hair.

"You may be my favorite blonde blue eyed boy but I'm not condoning you beating up my kid." She said as he left. Skye already had her brother set up on the floor as Ella took off her leather jacket. She'd turned her father's office into a playroom. "Cielo, where is your father?"

"His friend came to see him." No sooner did she get the words out than the door opened. Spencer walked in talking to someone behind him. He saw Ella and his whole face lit up. She smiled back meeting him halfway across the office. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her breathless. She tangled her hand in his long hair and held his long body against hers. When he pulled away he was still smiling as he pressed his for head to hers.

"Hey beautiful." He said softly pushing her hair behind her ear. She smiled and threw her arms around his neck.

"Hey yourself, handsome." She replied hugging him tight. His arms wrapped around her body filling her with warmth. "I've missed you so much; video chatting is not the same."

"No it isn't. I've missed you too. I can't wait to see your pictures." She was about to respond when someone cleared their throat behind him. She looked up to see a dark haired woman standing there looking very uncomfortable. "Oh, sorry." Spencer said blushing. He pulled back so only one arm was around Ella. "This is Elle, Elle this is my wife, Michaela Prentiss-Reid." Ella reached out her hand to the woman she swore she'd hit if she ever met her. Spencer squeezed her side to tell her she was wearing her feelings in her body. So Ella forced a smile.

"You can call me Ella. It's nice to meet you." She said hoping it sounded believable.

"So I take it you know our history." Before Ella could respond Ollie came to her and pulled on her jeans to get her attention. She reached down and picked up her son. She took one breath and handed him to his father.

"Oliver needs to be changed, Dad. Go bond with your son." He looked weary and was about to say something when Ella shoved the diaper bag into his arms. He gave her a look begging her silently to behave and she waved him off.

"You don't like me, do you?" Elle asked sitting in one of the chairs in front of Spencer's desk. Ella sat in the other one watching her daughter as she pretended to read.

"Skylar Giovanna, I know you aren't reading." Skye gave her a sheepish smile and hopped out of her father's chair.

"I'm going to go see what Aunt Penny is up to." Ella nodded as Skye kissed her cheek then watched her take off out of the room.

"I don't know you, just a sad story." Ella finally answered after Skye was gone. She crossed her denim and leather boot clad legs and gave the woman across from her guarded eyes.

"He told me you said you would hit me if you ever met me."

"That was years ago, plus I've reached my fist fight quota for the year. If he's forgiven you, I can too." Elle looked at the door and then back to Ella.

"He looks happy."

"I like to think he is."

"How long have you been married?"

"Seven years in June." Elle nodded. The two women looked at each other trying to feel the other out.

"He's all grown up, married, and he has two kids. He's not the Reid I remember."

"And he did his daughter's hair this morning." Ella said smiling. Elle laughed out loud.

"You're kidding." Ella shook her head smiling slightly. "He really can learn anything."

* * *

"Are you ever going to tell me what you two talked about?" Reid pleaded with his wife. She refused to tell him what he wanted to know. She would just look at him and laugh it off. Now was no different.

"Why is this so important to you? Did she say something bad about me?" Ella called from the bathroom.

"No, she practically sang your praises. She told me not to screw this up. She came in on my side and left on yours." She came to the door of the bathroom brushing her hair. Even though they had been together for 9 years, he still had to work to pay attention sometimes. Moments like this, when she came out of the bathroom in nothing but a pair of purple lace boy shorts and a borderline see through black racer back tank top, it was hard to hear anything but his blood pumping.

"Aww baby, are you worried she thinks I'm prettier than you?" He frowned at her retreating form as she walked back into the bathroom.

"Now you're making fun of me." He replied folding his arms over his chest.

"Aww, Dolce, it was a little joke. Stop pouting." She cooed crawling on the bed and climbing into his lap. She kissed both his cheeks before kissing his lips. "It was tense at first but after I told her you did Skye's hair the ice broke. She told me she had regrets, and how she treated you was one of them. She's going through something we both understand. She quit drinking when she got pregnant. She's on step nine." Reid nodded silently. Ella was right, he did understand. Suddenly, her sudden appearance made a lot of sense.

"Wait, you told her I did Skye's hair?" Ella smiled brightly and nodded. "Why?"

"She was saying that you were so different from the Reid she remembered. You know, the wife, the kids, the calmer job, and the muscles. When she knew you, you didn't have any of those things. You grew up and she was expecting to find the same guy she screwed over."

"So you told her that so she would know for sure that I've grown up?" He asked still slightly confused.

"That and I'm proud of my husband. Will you please stop worrying about this? It's been three days, Christmas is tomorrow. In a few short hours we will have a very excited seven-year old on our hands. And it's Ollie's first real Christmas. And you, Dr. Reid," she purred before pulling off her tank top. His hands immediately went to her body missing the feel of her skin under his hands. Since she'd been back he'd been consulting on a case and she was working on a new opening for the gallery. Add that to Christmas shopping and taking care of the kids, they hadn't seen each other much. "Have a very horny and grateful wife on your lap who wants to give you a gift early." She reached down, her hand sliding into his pajama pants.

"Don't think I don't notice what you're doing." He sighed pressing his face against her neck to nip at the soft skin there. He rolled her over pinning her to the bed.

"I'm trying to make love to my very sexy and very amazing husband. I hope you notice that. So, come on Dolce, open your present."

* * *

Spencer and Ella woke up to the sound of little fists pounding on their door. Ella groaned and wrapped herself tighter around her husband. He sighed into her hair. When she opened her eye to look at the clock she swore in Italian. Spencer chuckled and rubbed her back as she buried her face in his neck.

"Maybe if we stay silent, they'll go away for another 2 hours." She whispered against his neck. He chuckled silently pressing his cheek against hers.

"The chances of that happening are slim to none."

"I saw a movie like this once; they ate the parents when they got in."

"Next year, we liquor them up the night before. We'll sleep till at least 12." Ella laughed so hard her body shook.

"If only it weren't illegal in every place accept France." She whispered between giggles. They were full on laughing when they heard Ollie screech and a loud thump.

"That's never a good sign." Then they heard giggling and the sound of paws before hearing Ollie's squeal of glee. "We should probably get up before they do something horrible to the dogs." With one last kiss they hopped out of bed and got dressed. Christmas had become Reid's favorite holiday in the years since he met Ella. The kids just made it all the more amazing. The way their eyes lit up when they opened their presents in their Christmas pajamas warmed his heart in ways he could never imagine. Things he'd missed when he was a kid, he was eternally happy his kids could experience it and he could watch and be a part of it. Ollie let out a squeal of pure joy opening a present and he realized just how lucky he was.

A little while later, while they were watching the kids play, Ella plopped down on the sofa next to him. She was holding another present in her hands staring down at it apprehensively. Reid put his arm around his wife and pulled her closer to his body kissing her forehead. She snuggled against him and sighed. He couldn't remember another place where he felt this at peace. He was almost sure it didn't get any better than this. "I have one more gift for you. It's proof that you always get your way." she handed it to him giving him the full effect of her pale brown eyes. He pulled away to open it after glancing her way once more. She was kind of making him nervous. He pulled off the festive red paper and the bow to find a velvet jewelry case. When he cracked it open there was a folded piece of paper inside. He glanced at her again to find her biting her lip. His heart pounded as he pulled the paper out to look at it. Most of it was in Portuguese but he understood enough to know what one part said. When it clicked in his mind he gasped and turned to his wife.

"Does this say what I think it says?" he asked with eyes as wide as saucers. She nodded and let out a breath he hadn't realized she was holding.

"I always said you were an accurate shot. There's more, keep looking." He looked under the paper and there was something else inside that made him gasp.

"Oh my God!" he said staring at the sonogram picture with wide and eyes and an even wider smile.

"I know that asexual new baby no name is only about the size of a grain of rice and doesn't have any appendages yet but I was thinking about names. I'm thinking Lennon if it's a girl and Caleb if it's a boy." She said as she slouched down and threw her arm across his chest and her leg across his legs. Reid wrapped his arms tight around his wife and held her against him. surrounded by the people he loved most, a crackling fire, the smell of food, and more family on the way; he couldn't think of anything that sounded better.

_"Home-that blessed word, which opens to the human heart the most perfect glimpse of Heaven, and helps carry it thither, as on an angels wings." ~ Lydia M. Child_


End file.
